山西省太原市2021届高三上学期期中质量监测英语试题含答案

2021年太原市综合高级中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AOlder adults who sleep six hours or fewer a night may have elevated risk for dementia(痴呆症) and other cognitive (认知的) issues, a new study finds.Researchers at Stanford University measured seniors' (ages 65 to 85) dementia risk and cognitive abilities, finding higher risk in those patients who regularly slept six or fewer hours compared to those who slept seven or eight hours. Those seniors who slept nine or more hours also had lower cognitive functions and other health issues, but the researchers didn't find the same high dementia risk in this group.The findings demonstrate how important it is for adults to maintain a healthy sleep cycle, especially as they get older.As adults age, it's common for their sleep patterns to change or becomedisrupted— leading to longer, shorter, or more irregular sleep. This disruption may be linked to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, impacting seniors' ability to remember information, problem-solve, and go through everyday behaviors. Sleep disruption can also be caused by or heighten depression, cardiovascular disease（冠心病）, and other conditions.A recommended sleep time for seniors is seven to eight hours, the researchers said. Six or fewer hours corresponded to short sleep, while nine or more hours corresponded to long sleep.The Stanford researchers measured levels of beta amyloid, a protein in the brain that is typically found in high levels when a patient develops Alzheimer's. In addition, the researchers used several tests for memory, attention, spatial skills, and executive function to identify patients' cognitive abilities. Those patients sleeping for six hours or fewer a night were more likely to develop dementia, the researchers found. The low-sleep patients had higher levels of beta amyloid.The Stanford researchers found that patients with lower sleep also performed worse on memory tests, while those with higher sleep (more hours) performed worse on executive function tests，which measure the brain's ability to switch between different tasks.―The main takeaway is that it is important to maintain healthy sleep late in life, Winer told CNN.1. What does the underlined word “disrupted” in paragraph 4 mean?A. difficultB. disorderedC. dissolvedD. different2. According to the findings, which of the following is NOT related to the disrupted sleep?A. It is more likely to cause old people to have bad memories over issues.B. It may contribute to dementia, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses.C. Some daily behaviors perhaps differ from those whose sleeping is normal.D It tends to bring all the old people to undergo brain scans and cognitive tests.3. What can we infer from the study?A. A proper sleep time for seniors is seven to eight hours.B. Low and high sleep patients were both poor at memory tests.C. Executive function test is applied to measure the capacity of brain.D. Keeping a healthy sleep for older adults late in life is crucial.BScientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (麻省理工学院) have turned spider webs into music——creating an strange soundtrack that could help them better understand how the spiders output their complex creations and even how they communicate.The MIT team worked with Berlin-based artist Tomas Saraceno to take 2D (two-dimensional) laser (激光) scans of a spider web, which were linked together and made into a mathematical model that could recreate the web in 3Din VR (virtual reality). They also worked with MIT’s music department to create the virtual instrument.“Even though the web looks really random (随机)，there actually are a lot of inside structures and you can visualize (可视化) them and you can look at them, but it’s really hard to grasp for the human imagination or human brain to understand all these structural details,” said MIT engineering professor Markus Buehler, who presented the work on Monday at a virtual meeting of the American Chemical Society.Listening to the music while moving through the VR spider web lets you see and hear these structural changes and gives a better idea of how spiders see the world, he told CNN. “Spiders use vibrations (振动) as a way to locate themselves, to communicate with other spiders and so the idea of thinking really like a spider would experience the world was something that was very important to us as spider material scientists,” Buehler said.Spiders are able to build their webs without shelves or supports, so having a better idea of how they work could lead to the development of advanced new 3D printing techniques. “The reason why I did that is I wanted to be able to get information really from the spider world, which is very weird and mysterious,” Buehler explained. In addition to the scientific value, Buehler said the webs are musically interesting and that you can hear the soundsthe spider creates during construction. “It’s unusual and eerie and scary, but finally beautiful.” he described.4. What have MIT scientists done according to the passage?A. They have translated spider webs into sounds.B. They have made a mathematical model to produce webs.C. They have created a soundtrack to catch spiders.D. They have known how spiders communicate.5. What can we know about spider webs from paragraph 3?A. Their structures are beautiful and clear.B. Professor Markus Buehler knows them well.C. The American Chemical Society presents the result.D. They are complex for people to figure it out.6. In which field will the study be helpful?A. virtual realityB. printingC. paintingD. film-making7. What is the main idea of the passage?A. It tells us that the music created by spiders is scary.B. It shows how the researchers carry out the experiment.C. It presents a new and creative way to study spiders.D. It explains why scientists did the experiment.CAccording to statistics published by the BPI (Buying Power Index) a couple of months ago, digital streaming (流媒体) now accounts for 80 percent of the music consumption in the UK. Despite the incredible growth of online streaming platforms like iTunes, Apple Music and Tidal over the past 15 years, a more traditional medium has also seen a return of interest and sales in the music industry. In 2020, almost one in five of all albums purchased in the UK is vinyl (黑胶唱片), and it has once again become the most popular physical musical medium.With digital streaming so easy and convenient, why are so many peopledrawn to traditional records? Some experts claim that vinyl is a physical medium for experiencing music, something tangible (有形的) to hold and own. For most people, having something tangible and interacting with it gives depth to the experience of music. Listening to an album and touching it the way the artist intended can make them feel more connected to the music and the artist. Records are physical products that can be not only displayed but also gifted, shared, tradedand passed down through generations.Sound quality is another hot topic. A lot of music lovers feel that the analogue sound (模拟声音) vinyl offers is superior to modern digital audio, particularly with regards to the compressed formats streaming platforms use. There’s a common belief that old-school analogue audio has a warmer, fuller sound than digitised music. For vinyl followers, the very defect traditional recorders often have, such as the familiar crackle (劈啪作响) when the record starts, bring the music to life in a different way.There’s aritualisticaspect to vinyl that a lot of people are drawn to, too. The act of putting a record on—carefully removing the record from the sleeve, placing it on the record player and gently dropping the needle on the right groove (凹槽)—is a more assiduous (一丝不苟的), mindful way of engaging with music. When you’re listening to vinyl, you can’t tap abutton and go about your day while the streaming service provides hours of music. You need to stay close to the record player to move the needle and flip the record over.It’s clear that the vinyl interest is well underway, and vinyl records are truly making a comeback. In an increasingly digital society, there’s something to be said for analogue experiences. Perhaps one of the great things about being alive in the 21st century is our ability to have the best of both worlds—the timeless appeal of physical records alongside the easy access to vast music libraries that streaming offers.8. What are the statistics published by the BPI used to show?A. An increase in music consumption.B. The recovery of music industry.C. A comeback of a physical medium.D. The acceptance of online streaming.9. According to some experts, why does vinyl interest many people?A. It attracts people by its realistic feel.B. It offers simple access to different music.C. It shares a new way to enjoy music.D. It provides people with perfect sound effect.10. The underlined word “ritualistic” in Para.4 means something ______.A. Overlooked by society.B. Updated very frequently.C. Performed as part of a ceremony.D. Kept for a long time without changing.11. How does the writer feel about the future development of music medium?A. Traditional records will get underway.B. The analogue experiences may matter more.C. Vinyl sales will boom with technological advance.D. There should be a good mix of old and new.DMy mother is a teacher. I often asked her, “ Why do you teach? What keeps you teaching?” The answer was always the same. “There is always that one child, that one moment that is worth it.”Now, I am a teacher, too. But different from my mother, I teach students challenging activities outdoors. And when my mother asked me the similar questions, my answer was, “It’s that one child, that one special moment.”One of those moments happened recently. I was working with a group of girls in a four-week programme. Everything went on well through the “Team” events and we were moving on to a“High” one called the Wire Walk.In the Wire Walk, each girl had to climb up the pegs in a tree to a wire, 8 meters high, and then walk across it. Of course, everything was safe for sure.When it was Susie's turn, it seemed that she didn't really want to. I asked Susie if she was ready. She answered softly, “I suppose.”Now, Susie was at the foot of the tree. She started to make the long reach. Then I found Susie was becoming nervous with every step. I realized she would not go much further.Susie was halfway up. Then she stopped and held the tree tight, looking very afraid. Her eyes were closed. With her face against the tree, she cried, “I can't.”The other girls sat in silence. I talked quietly to Susie, trying to relax her. I talked for a long time till I ran out of words.“I will still be your friend no matter what, Susie!” Mary broke the silence.To my surprise, Susie lifted her head and looked up to the wire. Then she turned to look down at Mary and smiled. Mary smiled back.Finally, Susie made it all the way across that wire. When she returned to the ground, the first hug she looked for was from Mary. We all cheered. Moments like this keep me doing what I do.12. Why did Susie stop halfway up to the wire?A. It was too high for her to reach.B. She was too afraid to move on.C. Something was wrong with it.D. The teacher asked her to do it.13. Why did Mary break the silence?A. To try again herself.B. To relax the writer.C. To encourage Susie.D. To draw Susie's attention.14. What can we learn from the story of Susie?A. Helping others is helping ourselves.B. A word of encouragement matters a lot.C. Outdoor activities bring peoplecloser than ever.D. A good method plays an important role in teaching.15. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?A. The Wire WalkB. That One MomentC. Fear and CourageD. The Young Hearts第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年太原市综合高级中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AStepping Out Into NatureThe classic road trip is more popular than ever. Here are several places to hit the open road.Colo-road TripsThe Colorado Tourism Office has made it easy for road-trippers to explore the state’s 24 Scenic & Historic Byways.A new microsite includes-an interactive map that enables travelers to explore options by region, interest or season. Travelers seeking inspiration can also access insider tips and side-trip suggestions for historic attractions, active adventures and highlight cultural opportunities.TheBeartooth Highway.Visitors of this extraordinary byway experience the grand sights ofMontana,WyomingandYellowstonePark. The windy 68-mile stretch introduces road explorers to one of the most diverse ecosystems accessible by auto. Breathtakingly beautiful, this All-American Road showcases wide, high alpine plateaus（高原）, painted with ice blue lakes, forested valleys, waterfalls and wildlife.SewardHighway,AlaskaThe road that connectsAnchorageto Seward is 127-mile treasure of natural beauty, wildlife and stories of adventure. The drive begins at the base of theChugach Mountains, hugs the scenic shores of Turnagain Arm and winds through gold mining towns, national forests and fishing villages. Expect waterfalls, glaciers, eagles and some good bear stories.The Lighthouse Trail,MaineTravel the 375 miles betweenKitteryandCalais,Maine, visiting lighthouses along the way. Hear tales of shipwrecks（海难）and of the difficult and lonely life led by those who kept the lights burning brightly. If possible, visit theMaineLighthouseMuseum. where artifacts and hands-on exhibits for children provide an appealing break.1.What makes Colo-road Tips special?A.Good bear stories.B.A scenic beach.C.Hands-on exhibits.D.An interactive map.2.Where can you explore state of gold miners?A.Colorado.B.Montana.C.Alaska.D.Maine3.Which place is suitable for a family with children?A.Colo-road Trips.B.TheBeartooth Highway.C.Seward Highway.D.The Lighthouse Trail.BIf you've ever had a dog, you know just howdeep a connection you can develop with “man's best friend”. But a dog's life is much shorter than humans, about 12 to 15 years long, which means every dog owner has to go through the heart­breaking moment when their loving pet passes away.Why not make a clone of that dog then? This is the solution offered by a South Korean company, Sooam Biotech Research Foundation. The company has already successfully cloned at least 400 dogs, mostly for US customers, ever since it pioneered the technique in 2005. Now, Sooam Biotech has introduced its business toUKdog owners as well, offering them dogs that look just like their lost ones.To clone a dog, researchers first need to take a skin cell from a living dog or one that has just died. Meanwhile,another dog is selected to supply an egg. Researchers then replace the DNA in the egg with that from the skin cell and implant the egg into the womb (子宫) of a female dog. The egg grows into a puppy over the following two months. The whole process takes less than a day, but it comes at a shockingly high price — around ￡63,000.But if you can't afford it now, you can also save the cell in a laboratory andaccess it at a later date.However, magical as cloning might sound, there is no guarantee that the cloned dog will be a perfect copy of the original one. Just like identical twins of humans, they share the exactly same DNA but there will still be small differences between them. “The spots on a Dalmatian (斑点狗) clone will be different, for example” Insung Hwang, head of Sooam Biotech, told The Guardian.Dog owners will also have to accept the fact that personality is not “cloneable”. Apart from genes, personality is also determined by upbringing and environment, which are both random elements that cloning technologies simply cannot overcome, Professor Tom Kirkwood atNewcastle University,UK, told The Telegraph.Perhaps bringing our dogs back by cloning is not the best way to remember them after all.Kirkwood, a dog owner himself, pointed out, “An important aspect of our relationship with them is coming to terms with the pain of letting go.”4. What service does Sooam Biotech Research Foundation offer?A. Making copies of pet dogs.B. Giving pet dogs identical twinsC. Helping dogs give birth to more puppies.D.Helping dog owners love their dogs more.5. Which order is correct in the dog cloning process?a. An egg is taken from another dog.b. A skin cell is taken from the pet dog.c. The egg grows into a puppy in two months.d. The egg is placed in the womb of a female dog.e. The DNA in the egg is replaced by the DNA from the skin cell.A.a→d→b→e→c.B. a→e→b→d→cC. b→a→d→e→c.D. b→a→e→d→c.6. What can we learn about dog cloning from the passage?A. It has not been put into practice until recently.B. It is very popular among US andUKpet owners.C. It might not give the owners an exactlysame dog.D. It is very expensive and usually takes half a year to complete.7. What doesKirkwoodthink of dog cloning?A. He disagrees with it.B. He supports it.C. He is curious about it.D. He thinks it unbelievable.CHappiness is not a warm phone, according to a new study exploring the link between young life satisfaction and screen time. The study was led by professor of psychology Jean M. Twenge at San Diego State University (SDSU).To research this link, Twenge, along with colleagues Gabrielle Martin at SDSU and W. Keith Campbell at the University of Georgia, dealt with data from the Monitoring the Future (MtF) study, a nationally representative survey of more than a million U. S. 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders. The survey asked students questions about how often they spent time on their Phones, tablets and computers, as well as questions about their face-to-face social interactions and their overall happiness.On average found that teens who spent more time in front of screen devices — playing computer games, using social media, texting and video chatting — were less happy than those who invested more time in non-screen activities like sports, reading newspapers and magazines, and face-to-face social interactions."The key to digital media use and happiness is limited use," Twenge said. "Aim to spend no more than two hours a day on digital media, and try to increase the amount of time you spend seeing friends face-to-face and exercising — two activities reliably linked to greater happiness."Looking at historical trends from the same age groups since the 1990s, it's easy to find that the increase of screen devices over time happened at the same time as a general drop-off in reported happiness inU. S.teens. Specifically, young peopled life satisfaction and happiness declined sharply after 2012. That's the year when the percentage of Americans who owned a smartphone rose above 50 percent. By far the largest change in teens' lives between 2012 and 2016 was the increase in the amount of time they spent on digital media, and the following decline in in-person social activities and sleep.8. Which method did Twenge's team use for the study?A. Calculating students' happiness.B. Asking students certain questions.C. Analyzing data from a survey.D. Doing experiments on screen time.9. How does the author develop the finding of the study in paragraph 3?A. By making a comparison.B. By giving an example.C. By making an argument.D. By introducing a concept.10. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?A To draw a conclusion from the study.B. To offer some advice to the readers.C. To prove social activities' importance.D. To support the researchers' finding.11. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?A. Quitting Phones Equals HappinessB. Screen Time Should Be BannedC. Teens' Lives Have Changed SharplyD. Screen-addicted Teens Are UnhappierDAfter a year at sea, 16-year-old Laura Dekker can finally say, “Missionaccomplished!” Last month, she finished a daring trip around the world aboard her 38-foot boat, Guppy. Dekker, who is from theNetherlands, traveled more than 30,000 miles all by herself. She is the youngest person ever to sail around the globe alone.Dekker had wanted to lake on this challenge when she was even younger. She first tried to set sail at the age of 13, but a court in theNetherlandsstopped her. They said that she was too young to make such a risky trip by herself. But Dekker insisted she had the navigation skills and patience of an adult sailor.She finally took off on January 20, 2011. During her trip, Dekker battled loneliness, storms, and worries about pirates. But she also got to surf, scuba dive, and started a new hobby: playing the flute. Although Dekker didn’t spend all of her time at sea—she stopped at ports along the way—she did spend her 16lh birthday on the open ocean. To celebrate, she ate doughnuts for breakfast.But Dekker didn’t sail into the record books. Guinness World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council no longer recognize records for “youngest” sailors. They dropped the category in 2009 to discourage children fromattempting such dangerous feats (壮举). But that didn’t stop Dekker，who was born on a yacht during a seven-year world voyage undertaken by her parents.Dekker doesn’t mind that she won’t hold an official record. She says it was a personal goal, and she is happy she achieved it.“I am not disappointed at all that Guinness World Record won’t recognize my attempt.” Dekker wrote on her website. “I did not start on my trip to achieve any record…I did it just for myself.”12. Dekker wasn’t allowed to sail at the age of 13 because .A. people were concerned about her safetyB.she didn’t learn any sailing skills wellC. she had to continue her study at schoolD. she didn’t have enough patience for long trips13. What does the underlined word “accomplished” in Paragraph 1 mean?A. Failed.B. Completed.C. Continued.D. Started.14. In 2009 records for youngest sailors were canceled in order to .A. set a higher sailing standard for teen sailorsB. stop children entering Guinness World RecordsC. encourage parents to sail with their childrenD. prevent children making dangerous attempts15. What could be the best title for this passage?A. A New Guinness World Record in SailingB. A New Sailing Standard for Teen SailorsC. A Teen Girl Sailing Alone Aroundthe WorldD. The Youngest Sailor in Guinness World Records第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市综合高级中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThree Things to Do Before You Are 18Are you bored with your daily life? Here are some things you should try before you are 18.★Learn to swimSeriously, this is so important that it can save your life. If you can’t swim well, you won’t be able to dowater sports like waterskiing, surfing and diving. Even taking a boat trip will be dangerous for you. Make sure you do it.★Try at least one kind of team sportsBeing a good team player is an important skill in life. You can’t just think of yourself, but have to work well with other people. Other advantages of team sports like basketball, football and baseball are that they keep you fit and healthy, and they are also great fun. Teams usually have a good social life too—you’ll go to lots of parties and make many friends.★Collect somethingOne of the best hobbies for under-18s is collecting things. You could collect kinds of stamps, or you could collect things that make you remember what you have done, like cinema tickets for films you have seen or letters from friends. The best way to collect is to have a special album to put your collection in and to write what each thing means to you. That way you won’t forget.1. The most important reason for learning to swim is that ________.A. you might feel wellB. it can make you healthyC. you might easily do lots of thingsD. it can save your life2. The writer tells us that one of the best hobbies is to ________ .A. collect somethingB. do some water sportsC. send letters to your friendsD. play basketball with your friends23. The passage is mainly about ________before you are 18.A. good habits to keepB. skills to haveC. things to doD. sports to playBFor years, Zach Ault, a father of three, enjoyed being physically active. He was even training for a half-marathon. But in 2017, he took time off to recover from an infection. After recovering, he tried to continue his runs but could not complete them. He was not able to spend time with his children. He had to cut back his job. Even sleeping as much as 16 hours a day made no difference in his condition.“His body had literally hijacked him and it wasn't going to allow him to push through, ” said Anne Ault, his wife. After months of testing, doctors announced their result-chronic fatigue syndrome, a disease that makes an individual feel extremely tired.This fatigue lasts more than six months and becomes worse after any kind of physical exertion (费力活动). Patients may have difficulty standing upright. They also may have trouble thinking, often described as a “brain fog”. There are no approvedtreatments, or even tests to help with diagnosis. There is no way to predict who will recover and who will have a severe case that lasts for years.Now the doctors at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are conducting a unique study to learn more about the condition. Zach Ault is one of the subjects in the study. When Ault rides an exercise bicycle, scientists measure how his leg muscles use oxygen. Afterward, doctors fit a special cap on Ault's head to measure electrical activity in his brain. They then send him to spend the night in an air-tight room where air has been removed with pipe for additional study. Scientists measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels to tell how much energy Ault is using, minute by minute. “We're figuring out how his body adjusts to an exercise load, or a stress load.”“It's hard not knowing if or when I'm going to recover, ” he said. But Ault says the study did help him learn about the disease. And it gave him ideas about how to save up his energy.4. What was Zach Ault's life like before 2017?A. He was fond of exercising.B. He won several half-marathons.C. He spent much time lying in bed.D. He was busy looking after his children.5. How did the infection affect Zach Ault?A. He lost his job.B. He was unable to sleep.C. He became too weak to do sports.D. He was tired of running a half-marathon.6. What can we learn about chronic fatigue syndrome?A. It usually lasts no more than months.B. It is likely to cause thinking disorders.C. Patients with it need to stay in bed all day long.D. Patients with it should avoid any kind of exercise.7. What does Zach Ault think of the study?A. It helped him cure his illness.B. It helped him recover and stay fit.C. It taught him how to enjoy cycling.D. It brought him new ideas about fighting diseases.CThe Great Barrier Reef's outlook remains “very poor” despite coral (珊瑚) recovery over the past year, Australian government scientistssaid Monday, just days before a UNESCO ruling on the site's world heritage (遗产) status.The United Nations cultural agency recommended last month that the world's largest reef (珊瑚礁) system be placed on its endangered list because of damage to the corals largely caused by climate change.The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) said the corals were now in a “recovery window” after a decade of harmful heat stress and cyclones (旋风). But such opportunities were becoming rarer due to the influence ofclimate change, the government agency, which has monitored the reef for 35 years, said in its annual report released today. “The increasing emergence of climate-related extreme weather events and starfish outbreaks is causing more severe and frequent pressures, giving the reef fewer opportunities like this to recover,”CEO Paul Hardisty said. The scientists surveyed 127 reef sites in 2021 and found hard coral cover had increased at 69 of the 81 locations surveyed in the past two years.Separate scientific research released last October found the 2, 300-kilometre (1, 400 miles) system had lost half its corals since 1995, with a series of ocean heatwaves causing mass coral death.Britta Schaffelke, research program director at AIMS, said the latest findings provided a slight hope that the reef still has the power of recovering. But she added that its future is still very poor because of the dangers of climate change and other factors that are affecting the reef.UNESCO has urged Australia to take urgent climate action but the government has long resisted calls to commit to net zero emissions (排放) by 2050. The government has said it hopes to meet the target “as soon as possible” without harming its economy, insisting dealing with climate change requires a global effort. The reef was worth about US $4. 8 billion a year in tourism for the Australian economy and there are fears that an “in danger” listing could weaken its tourist appeal.8. What is the major cause of the damage to the corals?A. The climate change.B. Lack of money.C. Over development.D. Too many tourists.9. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 3?A. The result of the survey.B. The efforts AIMS has made.C. The slight chance of the recovery.D. The terrible situation of the climate.10. What is Britta Schaffelke's attitude towards the future of the reef?A. Unclear.B. Positive.C Intolerant. D. Anxious.11. What can we infer from the last paragraph?A. Australia wants to put the reef on the endangered list.B. The Australian government has ignored UNESCO's demand.C. Australia hopes to keep a balance between emission target and its economy.D. The Australian government refuses to take its share of responsibility of climate change.DHave you ever been sad because of failure? Please remember, for quite often achieving what you set out to do is not the most important thing.A boy decided to dig a deep hole behind his house. As he was working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “I want to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” the boy answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling him that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a while, the boy picked up a jar. He showed it to the visitors. It was full of all kinds of stones and insects. Then he said calmly and confidently, “Maybe I can’t finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I’ve found during this period!”Theboy’s goal was far too difficult, but it did cause him to go on. And that is what a goal is for－to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen, in other words, to cause us to keep working!Not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will endup with a success. Not every dream will come true. But when you fall short of your aim, maybe you can say, “Yes, but look at what I’ve found along the way! There are so many wonderful things having come into my life because I tried to do something!” It is in the digging that life is lived. It is the unexpected joy on the journey that really makes sense.12. The older boys laughed at the boy because he was thought to be______.A. braveB. impoliteC. foolishD. warm-hearted13. Why did the boy show the jar to the older boys?A. To drive them away.B. To show what he had found in digging.C. To show how beautiful the jar was.D. To attract them to join him in the work.14. What can be learnt from the fourth paragraph of the text?A. No dream can come true.B. All work will end successfully.C. Goals shouldn’t be set too high.D. Goals will make us work harder.15. The best title for the text should be______.A. A Boy Dug a HoleB. Joy in the JourneyC. No Pain, No GainsD. Failure Is the Mother of Success第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市综合高级中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AIt was a weeknight and one of my twin daughters marched into the room, waving a book she'd finished. “Dad, why are books with science in them always about boys?” she asked.I told her that simply wasn't true; there were loads of great science fictions with girls in them. She agreed, but argued that in those stories it was the boys who were doing science, and the girls were justalong for the ride. My other daughter took her sister's side and challenged me to give an example.This left me in a difficult position. I could either go through our library to point out some wonderful examples of female-led science fictions, or just admit they were right and remain in my comfortable chair.I've been asked several times how I came up with the idea forA Problematic Paradoxand my answer is always the same: it came to me in a moment of inspiration. I like that answer because it's simple and makes me seem very creative. The fact that this explanation is not true bothers me from time to time. Here's the truth: the story wasn't my idea. It was my daughters who suggested I write something for them that had a girl doing science.My daughters were at an age when many young women turn away from STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), believing those areas of study unfriendly or out-of-the-norm for girls. I also read about how important role models can be to young people. It's one thing to tell a person they can do something, but seeing someone like them doing that thing can be more powerful.So, I kept two guidelines for the book in mind: First, the story had to be fun for anyone, because it's as important for boys to understand that science is for everyone. Second, I wanted the main character, Nikola, to be imperfect. She should be someone with shortcomings as we all have. I think this not only makes a story more interesting to read, but also helps make it clear that the most extraordinary things can be done by ordinary people.1. What does the underlined phrase “along for the ride” in paragraph 2 probably mean?A. Entering a bike race.B. Offering vital help.C. Doing unimportant things.D. Playing the leading role.2. What do we know about the bookA Problematic Paradox1?A. Its main character is perfect.B. It is a female-led science fiction.C. It is intended to appeal to girls only.D. Its idea comes from the author's inspiration.3. Which of the following best describes the author's book?A. Serious and abstract.B. Simple and practical.C. Creative and well-organized.D. Inspiring and interesting.BBeing a teacher is a rewarding career when it comes to changing lives, but it’s obviously one that comes with plenty of stresses and difficulties too.Seeking help for a child who is so obviously in need isn’t easy. Often, you feel ignored by the government. You feel upset that there isn’t anything you could personally do to help a needy and sensitive member of your class.That’s exactly how Chelsea Haley, aged 24 at the time, felt when she met fourth-grade student Jerome Robinson while working for Teach forAmericainLouisianafor the first time.The pair didn’t get off to the best start, with Jerome, the “problem child”, almost drivingChelseafrom teaching. But whenChelseaput her foot down and became determined to work more closely with Jerome, she learned the cause of his rude behavior: a bad home situation.Chelseawas eager to help Jerome, and realized that he needed more than just academic support.By 2016, a year after meeting him, Chelsea had adopted (收养) Jerome and his brother Jace.Adopting a child doesn’t come cheap, andChelseaspent all the money in her bank to see the process through.In her first few years of raising the boys, she lived on credit cards and postponed her student loan.AsChelsealived with her two adopted sons, she worked hard to repay her debts. She took on extra tutoring jobs outside of school hours, moved in with her parents, and even delivered groceries for cash. Along the way, she was learning how to be the best mom to Jerome and Jace, cooking for them and cheering them on at football matches.And now, just five years later,Chelseacan proudly say that she has paid off nearly $50, 000 of debt. Now that she’s finally out of debt,Chelseahas plans to buy a house and save up for the boys’ college education.“It allows me to focus on the boys’ future,” she said. “Saving money for them, and not spending it on my past.”4. What do we know from paragraph 4?A. Jerome’s family was less fortunate.B. The brothers were in the same class.C. When helping Jerome,Chelseafelt hopeless.D.Chelseagot along well with Jerome from the very start.5. What didChelseado to pay off her debts?A. Borrow money from her parents.B. Do part-time jobs.C. Train students to play football.D. Cook for customers.6. How old wasChelseawhen she paid off nearly all of her debts?A. 24.B. 28.C. 29.D. 30.7. Which of the following can best describeChelsea?A. Lucky and lovely.B. Sensitive and ambitious.C. Selfless and determined.D. Warmhearted and strict.CIf you go into the forest with friends, stay with them. If you don’t, you may get lost. If you get lost, this is what you should do. Sit down and stay where you are. Don’t try to find your friends—let them findyou. You can help them find you by staying in one place. There is another way to help your friends or other people to find you. You can shout or whistle three times. Stop. Then shout or whistle three times again. Any signal given three times is a call for help.Keep up shouting or whistling. Always three times together. When people hear you, they will know that you are not just making a noise for fun. They will let you know that they have heard your signal. They will give you two shouts or two whistles. When a signal is given twice, it is an answer to a call for help.If you don’t think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a little house with branches(树枝). Make yourself a bed with leaves and grass.When you need some water, you have to leave your little branch house to look for it. Don’t just walk away. Pick off small branches and drop them as you walk in order to go back again easily. When you are lost, the most important thing to do is to stay in one place.8. If you get lost in the forest, you should _________.A. try to find your friends in no timeB. stay in one place and give signalsC. walk around the forestD. shout as loudly as possible9. Which signal is a call for help?A. Crying twice.B. Shouting here and there.C. Whistling everywhere in the forest.D. Shouting or whistling three times together.10. When you hear two shouts or two whistles, you know that _________.A. someone needs your helpB. something terrible will happenC. people will come to help youD. someone is afraid of an animal11. What’s the meaning of the last paragraph?A. Use branches to make a bed.B. Drop branches to look for water.C. Pick off branches to build another house.D. Leave branches to help you find your way back.DWhen an animal species is considered endangered, it means that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has evaluatedit as nearly extinct, which means that a majority of its population has already died off and the rate of birth is lower than the species’death rate. Today, more and more animal and plant species are on the way to extinction because of a variety of major factors that cause a species to become endangered, and as you might expect, humans play a role in quite a few of them — in fact, the biggest threat to endangered animals is human encroachment (侵入) on their habitats.Every species needs a habitat, where an animal finds food, raises its young. Unfortunately, humans destroy animal habitats in a number of different ways: building houses, clearing forests to getlumberand to plant crops, draining rivers to bring water to those crops, and making streets and parking lots.In addition, human development pollutes the environment with all kinds of chemicals, which destroys food sources and shelters for the creatures and plants of that area. As a result, some species die out while others are pushed into areas where they can’t find food and shelters — to make matters worse, when one animal population suffers, it affects many other species in its food web, so more than one species’population is likely to decrease.Habitat destruction is the number one reason for animal endangerment, which is why conservation groups work hard to repair the effects of human developments — many non-profit groups like the Nature Conservancy are taking measures to clean up coastlines and establish nature preserves to prevent further harm to native environments and species around the world.12. A species is considered endangered________.A. when the IUCN has noticed its population changeB. when most of its population has died offC. when the species’ birth rate is close to its death rateD. when the species is losing its habitat13. What does the underlined word “lumber” probably mean?A. Gas.B. Food.C. Chemicals.D. Wood.14. What is being done to protect the endangered species?A. Calling for human development.B. Raising money.C. Establishing nature preserves.D. Educating people.15. What is the main idea of the passage?A. Habitat destruction causes animal endangerment.B. Animals die out due to environment pollution.C. Measures need to be taken to increase species.D. Non-profit groups are making great contributions.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市第三中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThe COVID -19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life, including the way we travel. But for those who are looking to expand their horizons while still staying safe, the following three travel trends in 2021 may provide inspirations. Let’s take a look.StaycationWith many travel restrictions during the pandemic, people preferred traveling to nearby places in 2020. This trend continues in 2021. According to search data, 62 percent of people are interested in taking a vacation within driving distance of home. People who live in large cities want to get back in touch with nature. Travelers are looking for places different from their everyday accommodations, for example, farm stays, villas and cottages.Pod travelWhile 2020 saw a rise in solo travel and isolated adventures, 2021 shows that people want to be more connected. “Pod travel”, or gathering in isolated spaces with loved ones, is growing in popularity. 85 percent of survey respondents favor traveling with family or friends, and over half of the trips searched include three or more people. Pod travel is here to stay for those who want to safely be together while reducing risks associated with socializing with others.Remote working and travelingMany people worked and learned from home in 2020 because of the pandemic. Remote working blurs the line between working and traveling. There was a 128 percent increase in the mention of phrases such as “relocation”, “relocate”, “remote work” and “trying a new neighborhood”. People are actively booking longer stays (e. g. two plus week trips) in small to mid—size cities with access to immersive natural surroundings and wide—open spaces.1.What can we learn about Staycation?A.Travelling to the countryside.B.Taking an isolated adventure.CHaving holidays in nearby places. D.Staying indoors all by oneself.2.What’s special about Pod travel?A.Traveling alone.B.Traveling far away.C.Traveling while working.D.Traveling with loved ones.3.Where might we find the text in a magazine?A.Medicine.cation.C.TourismD.Career.BEven as Google plans to test its fleet (车队) of self-driving cars on public roads this summer, its business model remains abit of a mystery. By 2025, as many as 250,000 self-driving vehicles could be sold each year globally, according to a study by an industry research firm.“Vehicles that can take anyone from A to B at the push of a button could transform mobility for millions of people,” said Chris Urmson, director of Google’s self-driving car project. For now, Google has no plans to sell any of its self-driving cars. They are strictly for research. But they will hit public roads this summer near Google’s headquarters inMountain View,California. Previous testing has taken place only on closed courses.The cars are built to operate without a steering wheel, accelerator (油门) or brake pedal. “Our software and sensors do all the work,” Urmson said. “The vehicles will be very basic — we want to learn from them and adapt them as quickly as possible — but they will take you where you want to go at the push of a button.” The prototype (雏形) is the first of a 100-car fleet the tech giant is building.In the long run, Urmson sees a future of safer roads — the majority of auto accidents are caused by human error — and fewer traffic jams. Robotic cars could also shuttle people who can’t drive because of age or illness.Google has said that self-driving cars could launch new business models in which people buy the use of vehicles they don’t own. The company has already tested other types of self-driving cars on public streets, including modified Lexus sport-utility vehicles, under a special permit program by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that requires a human driver at the controls.The state has issued six other companies permits to operate such cars, includingDelphi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Tesla, Bosch and Nissan. The vehicles that will be tested on open roads this summer will have removable steering wheels, accelerators and brake pedals to allow “safety drivers” to take control if needed.4. According to Chris Urmson, __________.A. self-driving cars can give driving orders to humansB. self-driving cars are specially designed for the elderlyC. software and sensors are vital for self-driving carsD. ordinary vehicles will be replaced by self-driving cars5. Paragraph 4 is meant to tell us that __________.A. many traffic accidents are caused by human errorB. some people can’t drive because of illness or ageC. Urmson has promised to create safer roads in the futureD. self-driving cars will probably help to make safer roads and decrease traffic jams6. The underlined word “issued” in the last paragraph can probably bereplaced by__________.A. givenB. claimedC. awardedD. prohibited7. What’s the author’s attitude towards self-driving cars?A. Objective.B. Indifferent.C. Subjective.D. Favorable.CIt's the near future.Animal populations have fallen sharply and 80% of species are extinct.The forests are so rare that you need to make a booking to visit one. Birds also face extinction.The Arctic terns,a species evolved to fly across the world on4000kmannual journeys，are on their last migration (迁徙) to Antarctica.The Last Migrationby the Sydney-based writer Charlotte McConaghy is a different sort of climate novel，one in which the heroine's(女主人公)damaged soul is as much a story as the damaged environment This is McConaghy's first work of literary fiction,after a history publishing in science fiction and a romantic fantasy series."I wanted to try and engage with the climate crisis closely,"she said."It's hard to nail down where he book came from.But I had Toni Morrison's words in my head:'If there's a book you really want to read,but i hasn't been written yet,then you must write it.'I love that. It really speaks to me.""I wanted to write about the way the natural world is disappearing but I didn't know a way in."The way in”, she says, was to"go travelling.I went to Ireland and Iceland,and thought about these incredible journeys of the terns and these people who study hes journeys."The book became a story of a double journey: the migration of the birds,and a broken woman's travelling to the end of the earth.Much of the book is told in flashbacks, the action jumping between the south coast of New South Wales to the west coast of Ireland and to Greenland."I've always been fascinated with Ireland: the landscape, the people and the poetry and music.I wasfascinated with writing a character from there. It was a way to connect more with the place."McConaghy says she also wanted to have a character who was"of two places"."I had lived in 21 houses by the time I was 21, as a result I definitely know how it feels to feel as if you are not sure where you belong and feeling as if you are between two worlds."8. How isThe Last Migrationdifferent from other climate novels?A. It forecasts environmental destruction.B. It features a bird's cross-continental migration.C It combines science fiction well with romantic fantasy.D. It attaches equal importance to the heroine's broken soul.9. What did McConaghy think of Toni Morrison's words?A. Inspirational.B. One-sided.C. Authoritative.D. Casual.10. Why did McConaghy go travelling?A. To appreciate the landscape of Ireland.B. To follow the migration of the birds.C. To get away from her tiresome life.D. To find ideas for her new book.11. How might a character "of two places"feel?A. Content and carefree.B. More connected with nature.C. Lacking in a sense of belonging.D. Knowledgeable about the world.DI’ve long believedthat positive living isn’t about being optimistic every minute of every day. That kind of permanently happy state can’t be the goal, because it’s impossible to achieve.It turns out that psychological research finds true happiness comes from authentic positivity, and authentic positivity comes from emotional flexibility.Being flexible emotionally means being open to the full range of emotional experiences, including the challenging ones like anger, disappointment and sadness. Emotional flexibility means being able to shift behaviors and mindsets to meet different situational needs, and adapting when circumstances change.However, emotionally flexible people are not chameleons (变色龙) whose outlook changes based on whichway the wind is blowing. Instead, emotional flexibility is a skill that helps people judge the complexities of daily life, and stick to their deeply held values.I’ve learned a new word that I’d like to share with you: Eudaimonia (幸福感). Eudaimonia is the opposite of hedonism (享乐主义), the idea that happiness comes from the constant pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain. Eudaimonia, by contrast, encourages us to pursue meaning and authenticity, growth and honest joy. Both are philosophical approaches to happiness, and recent psychological thought is leaning toward eudaimonia as a more sustainable, satisfying model.Eudaimonia was first mentioned by Aristotle, who got the term from the Greek word “daimon,” which means “true nature.” Tome, walking a positive path means accepting that we each have positive true nature and permanent goodness. What we learn from the concept of eudaimonia is that we are best equipped to realize this nature when we are emotionally honest and flexible.12. What is the author’s belief?A. People should live alone.B. People can’t always be happy.C. People can’t always achieve their goals.D. People should pursue true achievements.13. What do enmotionally flexible people commit themselves to?A. Their strongly believed values.B. Their different needs.C. Permanent happiness.D. The pursuit of hedonism.14. How can people gain eudaimonia according to the author?A. By being honest to others.B. By changing true nature.C. By keeping realstically optimistic.D. By pursuing pleasure constantly.15. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?A. What is the meaning of eudaimonia?B. What should we do to keep positive?C. How can we keep happy forever?D. Why can’t people be happy all the time?第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市第三中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AFine art fairs（艺术博览会）are the trend of the 21st century, with new art and antique（古玩）fairs and festivals springing up in diverse parts of the world. Here is a list of four noteworthy art fairs.Art Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandThe granddaddy of art fairs, Art Basel, was established in 1970 by a group of local art gallerists and is the biggest contemporary art fair in the world. Art Basel takes place over a 5-day period each June in Basel, Switzerland. The high cost of renting space for gallery owners is offset（抵消）by the huge attendance at the fair. For example in 2010, about 60,000 visitors attended Art Basel.Frieze Art Fair, London“Frieze Art Fair was established in 2003 and is one of the few fairs to focus only on contemporary art and living artists.v"Thefair takes place every October in Regent's Park, London. It features over 170 of the most exciting contemporary art galleries in the world. ”In addition to the fair which began in 2003, the fair owners Matthew Slotover and Amanda Sharp publish Frieze, an international art magazine established in 1991 and devoted to contemporary art.TEFAF Maastricht, the NetherlandsEstablished in 1975 as The Pictura Fine Art Fair, and renamed The European Fine Art Foundation（TEFAF）, Maastricht in 1996, the fair includes 260 of the world's most famous art and antique dealers from 16 countries.The 24th edition of the TEFAF fair held March 18 — 27, 2011 featured 260 dealers exhibiting approximately 30, 000 artworks and antiques with an overall value of $ US 1. 4 billion.ARCO, MadridARCO Madrid was established in 1982 and is one of Europe's leading and popular art fairs. In addition to the exhibiting galleries（in 2011, 197 international art galleries participated）, a seriesof lectures and specially focused exhibitions take place.1.How does Art Basel cover the expense of renting space?A.By selling tickets.B.By selling expensive exhibits.C.By donation from dealers.D.By support from the government.2.The owners of Frieze Art Fair are also in charge of____.A.170 living artists.B.An international art magazine.C.30,000 artworks and antiques.D.A series of lectures.3.Which of the following has the longest history?A.Art BaselB.Frieze Art FairC.TEFAFD.ARCOBOver the years, NASA has successfully sent several rovers (飞行器) to Mars. While the science laboratories continue to provide important information on the Red Planet, they keep the space exploration rovers staying closeto the original landing place.To get a more comprehensive (详尽的) view of Mars, the US Space Agency plans to make a small test helicopter with the Mars 2020 Rover, which will be sent off in July 2020.The football-sized “marscopter” weighs about four pounds.It can fly at about ten times the speed of helicopters on Earth. The light weight and fast speed are important for the helicopter to be able to fly in the thin Mars atmosphere, which is about just one percent of that of Earth. “To make it fly in that thin Mars atmosphere, we had to make everything ready, and make it as light as possible while being as strong and powerful as it can possibly be. “Mimi Aung, Mars helicopter project manager, said in a meeting.Upon landing on the Red Planet, the Mars 2020 Rover will find a proper location to send of the helicopter. The helicopter will start with a short climb, no higher than 10 feet, and hover (盘旋) for just 30 seconds before landing back on the Mars surface. If all goes well, five more flights of longer distances, for 90 seconds each, will be conducted over the next 30 days. The short journeys will be recorded by a small camera and sent back to the scientists on Earth.If the plan goes on well, the first helicopter to fly in another world, will open up a whole new way to explore Mars. The Mars helicopter's first flight will be a great invention. For those of us whose research is about flight, that would be a wonderful, historic moment.4. To fly in thin Mars atmosphere，we should make the helicopter_______.A. strong and heavyB. heavy and fastC. light and fastD. strong and slow5. How many times will the helicopter fly?A. Three timesB. Four timesC. Five timesD. Six times6. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A. It’s interesting to fly in another world.B. I' s important to fly in another world.C. The plan to fly the helicopter goes on well.D. The helicopters first flight is successful.7. What may be the best title for the passage?A. To send a helicopter to Mars in 2020B. To send a rover to Mars in 2020C. To live in the thin Mars atmosphereD. To send back records to scientistsCRecently, I read about a promotion from a home builder in San Diego where consumers (消费者) could buy a 4,000 square foot house for $1.6 million and get a smaller home bythe developer valued at $400 thousand for free. This sounds like a fantastic deal, but I am alwayswary ofany promotion labeled (给……加标签) with“buy one get one free”, and here is why.Oftentimes, “buy one get one free” ends up being “buy two at the regularprice”. For example, I often see “buy one get one free” ads for orange juice at the supermarket, but the first box always costs over $5.00. At the same time, the juices not in the promotion are selling for $2.50 to $2.99 a box.Another problem with “buy one get one free” is that oftentimes you do not need the second item. I only consume one gallon of milk every two weeks. If I were talked into buying a second gallon in a “buy one get one free” promotion, then the second gallon would go bad before I have time to consume it. That creates waste instead of savings.In the case of theSan Diegodeveloper, so far they have received one offer on their expensive houses, but the buyer does not want the cheaper house for free. Instead, he wants the value of the smaller home taken away from his purchase price. I think this guy is quite wise because he saw right through the marketing of “buy one get one free”.Finally, it is up to you to see how much you need and how much you are willing to spend. Knowing the regular price of things also helps you in deciding whether a “buy one get one free” promotion is truly a great deal.8. What does the underlined part “wary of” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?A. annoyed atB. careful aboutC. familiar withD. puzzled about9. Why does the author mention milk in Paragraph 3?A. To show that there are many promotions of food.B.To suggest that people think twice before they shop.C. To prove that the second item isn’t always as good as the first one.D. To show that people often buy more than they need in the promotion.10. What does the house buyer want to do?A. Buy the smaller house only.B. Get the smaller house for free.C. Buy the larger house for $1.2 million.D. Buy both the larger and smaller houses for $2 million.11. How does the author organize the text?(P: Paragraph)A. B. C. D.DChinese archaeologists（考古学家）announced on Saturday that some new major discoveries have been made at the Sanxingdui Ruins site in Southwest China, helping uncover another start of the Chinese civilization.Archaeologists have found six new sacrificial pits（祭祀坑）and unearthed more than 500 treasures dating back 3,000 years at the Sanxingdui Ruins in Sichuan Province. So far, archaeologists have unearthed masses of important cultural items from four of the pits, including pieces of gold masks, gold foil, bronze（青铜）masks, bronze trees and large numbers of ivories. The rest of the newly discovered pits arc still being dug up.“Surprisingly, we have unearthed some never — heard — of — before bronze items," said Lei Yu, from the Sichuan Archaeology Research Institute. 'Tor instance, some large and well-made bronze items have strange-looking dragon or cow designs on them.”In another major discovery, relics of silk products were found for the first time at Sanxingdui, which shows “the ancient Shu Kingdom was one of the important starts of silk in ancient China" according to Tang Fei, head of the digging team.The new pits sit next to two sacrificial pits discovered in 1986, with areas ranging between 3o square meters and 19 square meters. Together they form an area in which people of the ancient Shu civilization held ceremonies to offer sacrifices to heaven, earth and their forefathers, and prayed for good luck and peace.The Sanxingdui Ruins is regarded as one of the greatest archaeological finds of mankind in the 20th century. The site was accidentally discovered by a farmer in the 1920s. The ruins are located in the city ofGuanghan, about 60 kilometers fromChengduand are believed to be the relics of theShuKingdom.12. What can we learn from the text?A. Totally there are 500 treasures unearthed.B. Six new sacrificial pits are under repair.C. The unearthed treasures date from 3000 years ago.D. There are six sacrificial pits at Sanxingdui.13. What does the discovery of the relics of silk products mean?A. Chinese civilization was widely influential.B.AncientShuKingdomwas also the home of silk.C. Chinese silk has a much longer history than known.D.ShuKingdombelonged toChinasince ancient times.14. What was the main function of the sacrificial pits?A. To celebrate festivals.B. To store valuable items.C. To bury important figures.D. To hold sacrifice ceremonies.15. Who first discovered the Sanxingdui Ruins?A. A farmer.B. Lei YuC. Tang Fei.D. Archaeologists.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市进山中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AFor some people, there’s no better companion than mans best friend-a dog. This four-legged pet can bring comfort and joy and provide much- needed exercise for you when it needs walkies! This probably explains why dog ownership increased last year because people spent more time at home during he CovID-I9 lockdown.However, as demand for a new dog increased, so did the price tag. Popular breeds, such as Cockapoos and Cocker Spaniels, saw even sharper price increases, and puppies have been selling for $3,000 or more.Animal welfare charities fearthat high prices could encourage puppy farming, smuggling (走私) or dog theft. An investigation found some breeders have been selling puppies and kittens on social media sites--something charities have called “extremely irresponsible”.But despite some new owners purchasing a dog legally, maybe from a rescue center or registered breeder, they’ve proved to be ill-prepared for life with a new pet, and the pet itself has found it hard tocome to terms withlife in a new home.Looking to the future, there are concerns about the welfare of these much-loved pets. Lan Alkin manager of the Oxfordshire Animal Sanct uary in the UK, notes: “At the moment, the dogs are having a great time, but separation anxiety could still surface when people go back to work.” And Cliare Calder from the UKs Dogs Trust rescue charity says, “The economic situation also means that some people may find they can’t afford to look aftera dog.” The message is not to buy a dog in haste and to pick one that fits into our lifestyle.1. The greater demand for dogs can cause the following problems except ________.A. illegal trade of dogsB. less dog farmingC. high prices of dogsD. online sale of dogs2. What does the underlined phrase"come to terms with"in paragraph 4 mean?A. Fit in withB. Go in forC. Make up for.D. End up with3. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A. Despite the problems, dogs are living happily.B. The writer has a positive attitude towards dogs future.C. Experts are worried that dogs will be unaffordable to people.D. The writer advises people to think twice before keeping dogs as pets.BOne billion people in the world are short of water. How can this problem be solved. Some suggestions have been to desalinate ocean water or to build enormous water pipelines from areas where water is abundant. (Suggestions such as these prove extremely expensive when they are actually used.) One possibility that scientists are considering is pulling icebergs from either the North Pole or the South Pole to parts of the world with a water shortage. Although many questions must be answered before such a project could be tried, moving icebergs seems a reasonable possibility in the future.Engineers, mathematicians, and glaciologists from a dozen countries have been considering the iceberg as a future source of water. Saudi Arabia is particularly interested in this project because it has a great water shortage. Scientists estimate that it would take 128 days to transport a large iceberg (about 1/2 square mile) to Saudi Arabia. Yet the iceberg would be completely melted by the 104th day. Therefore, insulation would be essential, but how to insulate the iceberg remains an unsolved problem.The problems in transporting an iceberg are numerous. The first problem is choosing the iceberg to pull. The icebergs that form in the North Pole are quite difficult to handle because of their shape. Only a small portion extends above the water — most of the iceberg is below the surface, which would make it difficult to pull. South Pole icebergs, on the other hand, are flat and float like table tops. Thus they would be much easier to move.How can a 200-million-ton iceberg be moved. No ship is strong enough to pull such enormous weight through the water. Perhaps several ships could be used. Attaching ropes to an iceberg this size is also an enormous problem. Engineers think that large nails or long metal rods could be driven into the ice. What would happen if the iceberg splits into several pieces during the pulling. Even if an iceberg with very few cracks were chosen, how could it be pulled through stormy waters. Furthermore, once the iceberg reached its destination, very few ports would be deep enough to store it.All of these problems must be solved before icebergs can become a reasonable source of water. Yet scientists estimate that it will be possible to transport them in the near future. Each year, enough icebergs form to supply the whole world with fresh water for a full year. In addition, icebergs are free and nonpolluting. As a solution to the world’s water problems, icebergs may be a workable possibility.4. What is a problem in transporting iceberg?A. The size of the iceberg.B. The colour of the iceberg.C. The salt in the iceberg.D. The movement of air and water.5. What is the author’ attitude towards transporting iceberg?A. Pessimistic.B. Objective.C. Optimistic.D. Unconcerned.6. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?A. It is hard to use iceberg.B. Iceberg are a good choice.C. There are problems with iceberg.D. Man finds no other ways to solve water shortage.7. What can be a suitable title for the text?A. Shortage of water.B. Icebergs for water.C. Scientists and icebergs.D. Iceberg—scientists headache.CIn ancient times, Chinese used plant leaves or bird feathers as a fan during the summer time. This was the earliest form of the fan. The first real fan was made back in the era of Yao and Shun period thousands of years ago. Since then,Chinese-made fans have become a vital part of Chinese art and culture. At the beginning, the fan functioned as a tool to generate a current of air in the hot weather. Now electric fans such as ceiling fans and other technological breakthroughs have taken the place.Long ago, fans caught the attention of ancient Chinese artists by chance. Thereafter, a unique fan art gradually took shape in the history of Chinese culture. Fan art usually includes Chinese calligraphy, paintings, or poems on the sectors（扇区）. Special skills are needed to write or paint on them.Due to its history and partly because of its unique shape, Chinese would soon develop the tradition of using fans as ornaments（装饰品）. Fans are made in different sizes and different color1 s to meet the needs of each request. Other Chinese ornaments, such as the Chinese knot, the green jade, and the Spring Festival picture, are often combined in each design.The value of fans depends mainly on the materials used and the level of craftsmanship that is involved during the process. Feather, paper, jade, bamboo and silk have all been used as ideal materials to make fans. Ancient Chinese even made iron fans to serve as deadly weapons（武器）in Chinese martial arts. Fans made by famous craftsmen are often characterized by pretty designs and detailed workmanship, and thus become favorites of collectors. Fans with masterpiece fine art like calligraphy or paintings are even more valuable.8.What is the first paragraph mainly about?A. The origin of fans.B. The materials of fans.C. The popularity of fans.D. The production of fans.9. Why do Chinese use fans as ornaments?A. They are made of valuable materials.B. They reflect the beauty of Chinese culture.C. They convey literature works on the sectors.D. They are often combined with other ornaments.10. Which of the following makes a fan favored by most collectors?A. Its advanced function.B. Its complex character.C. Its artistic handicraft.D. Its various applications.11. What can we infer about the fan from the text?A. Chinese send fans to their friends as gifts.B. Chinese ornaments can meet different requests.C. Traditional fans have lost their functional value.D. The fan plays different roles with the change of time.DTaking an afternoon nap could keep your brain sharp, a new study has said. Adults ages 60 and older who took afternoon naps showed signs of better mental ability compared to those who didn’t nap, according to a study published in General Psychiatry earlier this week.Researchers analyzed napping habits in 2, 214 older Chinese people and measured their cognitive abilities using several cognitive tests. Participants took the Mini-Mental State Examination and theBeijingversion of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, both of which test for memory, language and other cognitive abilities. In every category listed in the study, nappers tested statistically higher on average compared to their non-napping counterparts.Researchers did not gather data from people under 60, so a correlation cannot be drawn between napping and younger generations. The study also noted that there are conflicting studies about the benefits and risks of napping.Sleeping behaviors can be affected by a multitude of factors, said Dr. David Neubauer, associate professor atJohnsHopkinsUniversity. “Daily routines, medication use and sleep disorders can all play a role in how frequently someone takes a nap.” he said.Neubauer recommended taking a shorter “power nap” of up to 20 minutes to decrease the chances of transitioning into slow-wave sleep, which makes people feel groggy when they wake up. “Napping can be a healthy part of an older adult’s day”, Neubauer acknowledged, but make sure “sleepiness isn’t due to a treatable nighttime sleep disorder.” Older individuals who want to do all they can to preserve their cognitive functioning should put nighttime sleep first.12. What is the best way to keep a better cognitive ability for the old?A. Take a nap every day.B. Take sleep disorder seriously.C. Have a good sleep at night.D. Do exercise regularly.13. How did the researchers reach the conclusion?A. By taking the examinations and assessment.B. By analyzing napping habits and giving tests.C. By measuring nappers’ ability and analyzing them.D. By doing an experiment.14. Which has NO effect on one’s sleeping behaviors?A. Taking a nap.B. Medicine treatmentC. Sleep problemsD. Everyday activities.15. What can we know about “slow-wave sleep”?A. It appears in short nap up to 20 minutes.B. People should avoid it in their naps.C. It is a healthy part of an elder’s day.D. It was recommended by Neubauer.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市第三中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项APlan Your Visit to the British MuseumWe've made a few changes to ensure you can safely enjoy your visit:How to book tickets·Tickets for the permanent collection can only be hooked online in advance.·To book tickets for exhibitions, visit our exhibition pages. If you want to guarantee your visit to the permanent collection as well as the exhibition on your visit, you will need to book a separate ticket.·We are limiting numbers of people in the museum to ensure there is room for you to safely enjoy your visit. Everyone, including members and volunteers, will therefore need to book a free, timed ticket in advance.Important information about your ticket booking·You can book up to six tickets for people who live in the same family.·We will email yourticket to you, and you will need to show it either printed out or on your device (设备) when you arrive.·Please arrive at the time stated on your ticket-we cannot guarantee admission before or after it.Following the routeWe have created a new one-way route through the museum which will allow you to safely explore world cultures from the Mediterranean to the Middle East and from the Americas to Africa.·View a map of the route (Open in a new window).·Our audio guides (音频指南) are not available. However, youcan pay to download the audio introductions from iTunes (Open in a new window) or Google Play (Open in a new window) to each of the galleries and listen on your own device. Please remember to bring along your own headphones.1.Why does the museum offer timed tickets?A.To earn more money.B.To hire more volunteers.C.To save room for collections.D.To control the number of visitors.2.How can a visitor learn about the new route in advance?A.View an online map.B.Buy a new headphone.C.Buy audio guides from the museum.D.Download video introductions from iTunes.3.Where can you probably find the text?A.In a newspaper.B.In a magazine.C.On a website.D.In a report.BEver wondered if dogs can learn new words? Yes, say researchers as they have found that talented dogs may have the ability to grasp new words after hearing them only four times.While previous evidence seems to show that most dogs do not learn words, unless eventually very well trained, a few individuals have shown some extraordinary abilities, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports.“We wanted to know under which conditions the gifted dogs may learn novel words” said researcher xuekw Claudia Fugazza from theEötvösLorándUniversityinHungary. For the study, the team involved two gifted dogs, Whisky and Vicky Nina. The team exposed the dogs to the new words in two different conditions.In the exclusion-based task, presented with seven known toys and one new toy, the dogs were able to select the new toy when presented with a new name. Researchers say this proves that dogs can choose by exclusion when faced with a new word, they selected the only toy which did not have a known name.However, this was not the way they would learn the name of the toy. In fact, when they were presented with one more equally new name to test their ability to recognize the toy by its name, the dogs got totally confused and failed.The other condition, the social one, where the dogs played with their owners who pronounced the name of the toy while playing with the dog, proved to be the successful way to learn the name of the toy, even after hearing it only 4 times. “The rapid learning that we observed seems to equal children’s ability to learn many new words at a fast rate around the age of 18 months,” Fugazza says. “But we do not know whether the learning mechanisms(机制) behind this learning are the same for humans and dogs. ”To test whether most dogs would learn words this way, 20 other dogs were tested in the same condition, but none of them showed any evidence of learning the toy names, confirming that the abilityto learn words rapidly in the absence of formal training is very rare and is only present in a few gifted dogs.4. What was the purpose of the study published in Scientific Reports?A. To better train dogs’ ability to learn new words.B. To further confirm previous evidence about dogs.C. To prove extraordinary memory abilities of gifted dogs.D. To explore favorable conditions for gifted dogs’ new-word learning.5. How did the dogs react when exposed to two new names in the first condition?A. Slow to understand.B. Quick to learn.C. At a loss.D. In a panic.6. What was found about dogs’ new-word learning in the social condition?A. Learning through playing applied to most dogs.B. The social condition helped dogs learn new words.CDogs’ new-word learning turned out to be less effective.D. Dogs shared similar learning mechanisms with children.7. Which of the following is the best title for the text?A. Gifted Dogs Can Learn New Words Rapidly.B. Dogs Identify Newly-named Toys by Exclusion.C. Dogs Can Acquire Vocabulary through Tons of Training.D. Gifted Dogs Have Similar Learning Abilities to Humans.CIn the summer of 2016, I gave a talk at a small conference in northernVirginia. I began by admitting that I’d never had a social-media account; I then outlined arguments for why other peopleshould consider removing social media from their lives. The event organizers uploaded the video of my talk to YouTube. Then it was shared repeatedly on Facebook and Instagram and, eventually, viewed more than five million times. I was both pleased and annoyed by the fact that my anti-social-media talk had found such a large audience on social media.I think of this event as typical of the love-hate relationships many of us have with Facebook, Instagram, and other social-media platforms. On the one hand, we’ve grown cautious about the so-called attention economy, which, in the name of corporate(公司的) profits, destroys social life gradually and offends privacy. But we also benefit from social media and hesitate to break away from it completely. Not long ago, Imet a partner at a large law firm in Washington, D.C., who told me that she keeps Instagram on her phone because she misses her kids when she travels; looking through pictures of them makes her feel better.In recent months, some of the biggest social-media companies, Facebook and Twitter, in particular, have promised various reforms. In March, Mark Zuckerberg announced a plan to move his platform toward private communication protected by end-to-end encryption(端对端加密); later that month, he put forward the establishment of a third-party group to set standards for acceptable content.All of these approaches assume that the reformation of social media will be a complex, lengthy, and gradual process. But not everyone sees it that way. Alongside these official responses, a loose collective of developers that calls itself the IndieWeb has been creating another alternative. They are developing their own social-media platforms, which they say will preserve what’s good about social media while getting rid of what’s bad. They hope to rebuild social media according to principles that are less corporate and more humane(人道的).8. Why did the author feel annoyed when his video was spread online?A. His video caused many arguments.B. His video was shared without his permission.C. His talk was opposed by a large amount of people.D. His video’s popularity on social media is against his talk.9. Why does the author mention the story of his partner in paragraph 2?A. To prove that social media has some benefits.B. To advise people to break away from social media.C. To tell the negative effects social media may produce.D. To describe people’s complicated relationships with social media.10. What is the purpose of the reform made by some social-media companies?A. To attract more users.B. To improve network environment.C. To make more profits.D. To provide more convenientservice.11. What does the IndieWeb intend to do?A. Develop new social-media platforms.B. Remove social media from people’s lives.C. Improve the existing social-media principles.D. Help social-media companies to make reformation.DThose who are concerned that robots are taking over the world can rest easy—for now. Though the androids have proved useful at performing ordinary tasks, they are not ready for the greatest time. At least that appears to be the case atJapan’s Henn-na Hotel chain where over half of the robot staff are being replaced by humans.The first location of the unique hotel opened in July 2015 was atNagasaki’s Huis Ten Bosch Theme Park. The hotel’s owner, Hideo Sawada, promised the hotel to be managed primarily by robots. Guests were greeted and checked-in by a dinosaur robot, while a cute android called Churi, placed inside each room, provided informationabout attractions. Not surprisingly, the lodging, recognized in 2016 as the world’s first robot-staffed hotel by Guinness World Records, drew in curious visitors from all around the world.But as the years have passed, the hotel’s main draw is becoming less novel and more unsatisfactory. Also as the robots are “aging”, they are costing more to repair. Among the 283 androids being replaced are the chain’s two dinosaur receptionists. In addition to scaring young guests, they are also unable to photocopy guests’ passports, forcing human employees to step in each time. Also out are the cute Churi robots, which annoyed guests by interrupting their conversations. For example, one guest told The Wall Street Journal that Churi mistook his snoring for a command and kept asking him to repeat his request all night.Sawada told The Wall Street Journal, “When you actually use robots you realize there are places where they aren’t needed—or just annoy people.” While Sawada may be cutting back on his use of androids, the recently-opened Smart LYZ Hotel and the Fly Zoo Hotel inChina, are run entirely by robots, with not a human in sight. Whether the employees have more competence than those “hired” by the Henn-na Hotel chain remains to be seen.12. What makesJapan’s Henn-na Hotel unique?A. Its robot employees.B. Its advanced equipment.C. Its convenient location.D. Its successful management.13. What is the author’s purpose with the example in paragraph 3?A. To entertain readers.B. To prove Churi’s drawback.C. To introduce Churi’s functions.D. To persuade people not to book the hotel.14. What does the owner ofJapan’s Henn-na Hotel think of his robot staff now?A. Attractive.B. Costly.C. Pioneering.D. Disappointing.15. What is the best title for the text?A. Robots Are Taking Over the World.B. The Boom of Robots-staffed Hotel.C. Robot Staff Are Fired For No Competence.D. The First Robots-staffed Hotel Won Guinness World Record.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年太原市实验中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ASan Francisco Bay Area is a great place if you're a sports fan as you'll find several events all year round and plenty of team pride. If you are anywhere close to the area during a game,these fantastic sports events are here for you.San Francisco Giants BaseballThe San Francisco Giants baseball team plays in SF at Oracle Park. This is a fun ballpark because it's always packed with great energy and offers views of the bay. It's one of the most popular San Francisco sports events. The Giants are part of the National League West Division. Since their arrival here in 1958,they have been World Series Champions three times.Golden State Warriors BasketballThe fan base of the Golden State Warriors distributes the whole San Francisco Bay Area as this region's only NBA team.Their regular season runs from late October through mid-April, and all home games are played at the Chase Center in San Francisco.In total, the Warriors has won six NBA championships.San Francisco 49ers FootballThe 49ers are San Francisco's NFL team, though they have recently moved to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, about an hour south of SF. The football team was named for the prospectors (探矿者) who arrived in the area in 1849 for the Gold Rush. They’ve won 5 Super Bowl championships, all between 1981 and 1994.San Jose Sharks HockeyThe San Jose Sharks represent the Bay Area in hockey (冰球).They were founded in 1991 as the only Bay Area team to compete in the NHL. Sharks fans love going to these San Francisco sports events at the SAP Center,which they call the Shark Tank,located about an hour southeast of SF.1.Where can a sports fan have a good view of the area?A.The Oracle Park.B.The Chase Center.C.Levi's Stadium.D.The SAP Center2.Which team has claimed the most titles according to the text?A.The Giants.B.The Golden State Warriors.C.The 49ers.D.The San Jose Sharks.3.Where is the passage probably taken from?A.A book review.B.A news report.C.A science fiction.D.A tourist magazine.BBrain cells work to actively forget memories during a specific period of sleep. When we sleep our brains clear out the memories we’ve made while we’re awake, deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. Forgetting is an active process, explained the authors of the study published in the journal Science. But less is known about this process during the different periods of sleep.They found that during the rapid eye movement (REM ) sleep period — or active sleep when we are thought to dream — special nerve cells appear to actively contribute to forgetting. What are known as melanin-concentrating hormone-producing (MCH) neurons (神经元) sit in the hypothalamus (下丘脑): a part of the brain which helps with a range of functions such as sleep, appetite and emotions. Past research has suggested these cells help to control REM sleep patterns: activating the MCH neurons increasing time spentin this period, while preventingthemreducing changes into this period.The scientists looked at MCH cells in mice, and found 52.8 percent were active during REM sleep, compared with 35 percent when the mice were awake. Study co-author Thomas Kilduff, director of the Center for Neuroscience at SRI International, told Newsweek the team was surprised to find that mice performed better on learning and memory tasks when the MCH cells were prevented. “This result suggests that activation of the MCH neurons may affect memory — that is, MCH neurons may facilitate forgetting,” Kilduff explained.When asked what motivated the study, Kilduff said, “We hope the work could deepen our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding the neural basis of learning and memory is a huge area of neuroscience research because of its effects on our everyday lives, as well as diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Prior to this work, no one suspected that MCH neurons had anything to do with forgetting,” said Kilduff.4. What can we infer from paragraph 1?A. Forgetting is a passive process.B. The forgetting process is known to us.C. Some memories are forgotten while we are awake.D. Certain memories are removed while we are asleep.5. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 2 refer to?A. REM sleep patterns.B. Past researches.C. MCH neurons.D. A range of functions.6. Why did Kilduff’s team conduct the research?A. To publish the study in the journal Science.B. To know more about Alzheimer’s disease.C. To contribute to human’s forgetting.D. To explore our everyday lives.7. What can we know about MCH?A. MCH cells takes control of REM sleep patterns .B. MCH neurons may disturb memory consolidation.C. MCH neurons have nothing to do with forgetting.D. MCH cells help mice performing better on learning.CDid you know that the average child has heard the word "no" over 20,000 times before they turn the age of three? Ironically, it is also around this time that children begin to develop enough personal character to refuse to obey. The "terrible twos" are categorized by a lack of understanding. Somewhere between three and four, children begin to acquire the skills to reason. It is during this time they watch how other children and adults reason. If we're not careful, the children will watch us model a world of "NOs".By the time a person turns eighteen, how many times have they been told no? I haven't found any studies that even attempted to track this statistic, but I'm sure if the number is 20,000 by three, then at eighteen that number has multiplied. You can do the math.Anyway, I think I know why we say no. We say no to protect. We say no to direct. We say no to stop potential confusion. However, do we sometimes say no just for the sake of saying no? Do we say no because we have internalized(内在化)all of the "NOs" we've heard over the years and we feel it is finally our time to say no to someone else?The internalized no can damage the growth process of dreams in infancy as quickly as it can weaken a three-year-old. And we wonder why we run intopeople with big, un-accomplished dreams who have a bit of a chip on their shoulder. They have to take on the 20,000 NOs. However, the thing that keeps them going is thepossibility of the power of ONE YES! Just as it only takes one book to make a writer a Pulitzer Prize Winner, it only takes one word to change the course of your day. That word is YES!8. What do we know about two- year- olds?A. They understand well.B. They often say no to others.C. They think logically.D. They don't do all they're told.9. What effect does saying no have on children?A. They lose all their dreams.B. They aren't easy to succeed.C. They don't make mistakes.D. They never say yes to others.10. Which word best describes the author's attitude to a world of "NOs"?A. Tolerant.B. Disapproving.C. Favorable.D. Carefree.11. What is the text?A. A how-to guide.B. A survey report.C. An opinion essay.D. A short story.DTo stay healthy and fit, Chinesestudents do group exercises every day at school. Most of you probably do the same set of exercises. But some school exercises have grown popular online due to their local and innovative designs.Singing in Sichuan dialects with energetic movements and unique mask-changing is not just a Sichuan Opera performance. It’s the routine exercise for students of Mianyang Foreign Languages Experimental School in Sichuan province.“Sichuan Opera is a local opera, and it is now facing a gap in inheritance (传承). Therefore, we cooperated with Mianyang Intangible Cultural Heritage Center to create a simple and easy-to-learn Sichuan Opera exercise,” said Shen Junhua, who is in charge of organizing the school’s exercise between classes.According to Shen, this new type of exercise has been practiced since 2017 and has been popular among students. When students enroll (入学), they will spend several weeks practicing it. At present, almost all of the students and teachers have mastered it.“In fact, we had hardly heard of Sichuan Opera before teachers taught us how to do the Sichuan Opera exercise,” said Li Yangwenwen, 14, an eighth grade student who also joined the school’s Sichuan Opera club out of interest. “It’s very different from normal exercises. After practicing it, we found it very beautiful and became interested in it. Now, almost all of the students look forward to our daily exercise time and feel excited to do it.”“By combining opera with daily exercise, the daily class activity allows students to perceive and understand Sichuan Opera’s culture”, Shen said. “After years of continuous effort to spread the seeds of traditional culture, the younger generation is finally catching on.”12. What do students in Shen’s school do during the group exercise?A. They do normal exercise .B. They sing pop songs in Sichuan dialects.C. They do mask-changing in a Sichuan Opera performance.D. They combine group exercise with Sichuan Opera.13. Why do they adopt the new type of exercise?A. To attract new students to the school.B. To inherit local culture.C. To create an easy-to-learn exercise.D. To make the school’s group exercise popular.14. How do teachers and students react to the group exercise?A. Calm.B. Indifferent.C. Enthusiastic.D. Uninterested.15. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A. Shen’s continuous effort is highly praised.B. The younger generation will have a stronger body.C. The students can better understand their local culture.D. Students help to spread the seeds of traditional culture toyounger generation.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市外国语学校高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ANothing beats live music, but the venue makes a difference. When you're able to score tickets to an incredible concert in an incredible place, you won't forget the experience. Here are some of the coolest music venues from around the world. If you haven't been to any of these, you've got some traveling to do.Red Rocks, Morrison, the United StatesRed Rocks might be the most beautiful and famous venue in the United States. At 6,450 feet above sea level, Red Rocks is a geologically formed natural stage. Its massive sandstone provides a perfect stage for jam bands. If you're into the blues and jazz, you'll have no trouble finding something in line with your interests.Meet Factory, Prague, Czech RepublicSmallest venues on this list, Meet Factory is an art gallery, theater, and music venue. The venue only accommodates 1,000 people, so you won't see any huge names come through. Still, it's a great place to see up-and-coming local acts, and if you've got an eye for contemporary art, you'll love your time here.Arena of NÎmes, NÎmes, FranceOriginally built around A. D. 70, the Arena of Nimes presents concertgoers with an interesting question: Should they enjoy the music, or marvel at the architecture? The Arena is, after all, one of the world's best-preserved Roman theaters. Many major touring acts plan stops at the Arena of Nimes, especially during the venue's annual festival.Sydney Opera House, Sydney, AustraliaThe Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most famous performing venues. I's also one of the most distinctive buildings in Sydney, thanks to the breathtaking design by Danish architect Utzon. It hosts about 40 events per week, so whether you're into jazz, rock, classical music, or opera, you'll find something to watch.1.Where can you enjoy music in natural beauty?A.At Red Rocks.B.At Meet Factory.C.At Arena of Nimes.D.At Sydney Opera House.2.What is special about Meet Factory?A.It enjoys breathtaking scenery.B.It hosts both musical and artistic events.C.It is the largest venue of all.D.It is famous for contemporary music.3.What do the listed music venues have in common?A.They have a long history.B.They are built near the sea.C.They accommodate thousands of people.D.They are beautiful tourist attractions.BCanadaIs Our NeighbourCanada and the United States are neighbours.They are on the same land.They share the same long boundary(国界).These two nations are similar in many ways.Canada buys many goods from the United States.Cars and clothes are two examples.The United States also buys goods from Canada.Much of the paper used in the United States comes from Canada.Some of the oilweuse comes from Canada,too.Americans travel toCanadaon holiday.And Canadians often visit the United States.It is easy for the people of one country to go to the other country.Canadians read about the United States in newspapers and magazines.Many Americans watch Canadian baseball and hockey (曲棍球)matches on Sundays.However,there are important differences between theUnited Statesand Canada.The United States has more people.Because the population is smaller,there are more open places in Canada.There is much unused land.This is another important difference.4.Canadabuys from theUnited States.A.oil and paperB.nothingC.many thingsD.everything5.In the first paragraph “we” means ________.A.CanadiansB.AmericansC.ChineseD.students6.The people in theUnited Stateslike Canadian ________.A.baseballB.basketballC.newspapersD.oil7.Which of the following statements is WRONG?A.Canada has less people than theUSA.B.Canada has not used all the land.C.Canada is connected withAmerica.D.Canadians don’t like hockey.CA man in Indonesia is walking backwards for 435 miles. He's making the trip to encourage the government and others to value and protect Indonesia's rainforests.Medi Bastoni is 43 years old. He is an Indonesian. Indonesia is a large country in the world formed by a group of islands. There are over 16, 000 islands there，and most of them are covered with rainforests. But on Java, where Mr. Bastoni lives, far more forests have been cleared.Mr. Bastoni believes it's important to protect forests from being cut down, and to restore (恢复) them when they have been destroyed. Near his home, Mount Wilis is now being restored, but Mr. Bastoni wants to make the protection continue. That's how he came up with the idea of the 435-mile walk.And walking backwards? Mr. Bastoni wants Indonesians to look back at their past. Walking backwards is a good way to get attention. Right now, Mr. Bastoni's backward walk is pretty big news in Indonesia.Mr. Bastoni is wearing a frame(框架)that supports a large mirror in front of him, above his head. This allows Mr. Bastoni to look behind him while walking backwards. Besides, Mr. Bastoni is carrying a backpack with some clothes and a little food. He is planning on buying more meals from restaurants along the way. He has been sleeping at police stations, security posts, and even strangers homes during the trip. His plan is to cover about 19 miles a day. In early August he was in Sragen -- about 100 miles from his home. It's not clear whether Mr. Bastoni is still on track to arrive in Jakarta by August 17.8. What do we know about rainforests in Indonesia?A. Indonesia has the largest area of rainforests in the world.B. The loss of rainforests is getting serious on Java.C. The islands there are all covered by rainforests.D Local people pay great attention to rainforests.9. Why did Mr Bastoni want to take the 435-mile walk?A With the purpose of fighting climate change.B. With the aim of becoming a healthy person.C. With the hope of rebuilding rainforests.D. With deep love for traditional sports.10. What's the function of the large mirror?A. To make sure of Mr. Bastoni's safety.B. To show Mr. Bastoni's position correctly.C. To allow Mr. Bastoni to look forwards easily.D. To help Mr. Bastoni enjoy views on the road.11. What can be the best title for the text?A. The difficulty of protecting rainforests in Indonesia.B. The importance of rainforests to Indonesia.C. A trip to recall history and attract attention.D. A walking backwards trip to save rainforests.DAs one of the world’smost popular cultural mediums, cinema is at the leading position at the Taihu World Cultural Forum(论坛), an annual event that aims to improve cultural exchanges. So far this year, Chinese box office has already topped 58 billion yuan, the China Film Administration said. This indicates that China, the world’s second-largest movie market, is closing the gap with the United States, the world’s top cinema market.Cao Yin, director of the program center at China Movie Channel, said that China has 67,000 cinema screens. the most of any country, and the number is expected to increase to 80,000 by the end of next year. Saying that China has signed coproduction agreements with 22 countries (including the United States, Canada, Japan. India etc.) ,Cao added it has deepened cinematic exchanges between Chinese filmmakers and their foreign counterparts (同行).With the country’s huge native market, which produced more than 1,000 films in 2019, Hong Kong director Stanley Tong said he believes foreign filmmakers will increasingly seek cooperation with China. “International coproduction will become an important platform to send Chinese stories oversea and give us a broader vision of creation,” Tong said.Recently, over 80 percent of the world’s top 100 highest box-office titles have been action films. Tong said the films, in which plots are basically secondary to shining stunts (特技), is one of the easiest ways to appeal to foreign audiences. But it has been a decades-long struggle for Chinese filmmakers to sell their stories overseas. When asked what kinds of Chinese films would have the most global appeal. Yan Zhaozhu, chairman of the Taihu World Cultural Forum, said stories that address universal issues, such as environmental protection and climate change, are perhaps the best options.12. What is the purpose of the Taihu World Cultural Forum?A. To strengthen cultural exchanges.B. To build more cinemas in China.C. To invite more tourists to Taihu.D. To attract more international investment.13. What can we infer about Cao Yin’s opinion in Paragraph 2?A. Chinese box office has already overtaken the United States so farB. The screens of Chinese cinemas will be world-leading in the futureC. China has signed the most coproduction agreements with other countriesD. There will be more and more cooperations between Chinese filmmakers and other countries.14. How do Chinese filmmakers feel about selling their movies to the world right now?A. Easy.B. Disappointed.C. Challenged.D. Confused.15. What is the best title for the text?A. Box Office: Unclear FutureB. China: Top Second Movie MarketC. Cinema: The Leading Cultural PositionD. Chinese Filmmakers: Severe Competition Situation第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年太原市外国语学校高三英语上学期期中考试试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ABritain's brilliant bridges have aided trade and brought communities together and are always the most exciting part of the journey. These must-see bridges are now tourist attractions in their own right.Clifton Suspension Bridge, BristolDescribed byits legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel as “my first love, my darling”, in was originally designed for horse-drawn traffic. Now, more than four million vehicles a year cross the 1,352ft-Jong toll (收费) bridge over the Avon Gorge. The £ l toll for every journey pays for its repair. The history of the bridge, dating back to 1864, is kept alive through a programme of tours, events and exhibitions.Infinity Bridge, Stockton-On-TeesA pedestrian and cycle footbridge across the River Tees, its working title was the North Shore Footbridge, before it was given its grander name when opened in 2009. It is particularly spectacular (壮观) at night. The arches of the bridge are also lit white and, on calm nights, their reflection in the water appears as an infinity symbol, thereby inspiring the name which was chosen by the public.Tower Bridge, LondonAn engineering wonder built from thousands of tons of Cornish granite, Portland stone and steel, it took construction workers eight years to complete. More than 120 years old, it's a popular tourist attraction, as well as a functional bridge. Visitors can take in the views over the capital and experience seeing London life through the Glass Floor.Iron Bridge, ShropshireOpened in 1781, this is the first arch bridge in the world to be made out of cast iron. Recognised as one of the great symbols of the industrial revolution, it transformed the cart of bridge building and was a crucial factor in the development of the iron trade in Shropshire.1.Which bridge has the longest history?A.Clifton Suspension Bridge.B.Infinity Bridge.C.Tower Bridge.D.Iron Bridge.2.What can we know about Infinity Bridge?A.People can just walk on it.B.The public give it two names.C.It's well worth visiting at night.D.It's arch is the biggest on the earth.3.What do Clifton Suspension Bridge and Tower Bridge have in common?A.They are both over 120 years old.B.Visitors should pay for passing them.C.They have the same original design.D.Visitors can have a good view of London on them.BHowdo you turn “dumb” headphones into smart ones? Rutgers engineers have invented a cheap and easy way by transforming headphones into sensors that can be plugged into (插入) smartphones, identify their users monitor their heart rates and perform other services.Their invention, called HeadFi, is based on a small plug-in headphone adapter that turns a regular headphone into a sensing device (装置). Unlike smart headphones, regular headphones lack sensors. HeadFi would allow users to avoid having to buy a new pairof smart headphones with sensors to enjoy sensing features.“HeadFi could turn hundreds of millions of existing, regular headphones worldwide into intelligent ones with a simple upgrade (升级),” said Xiaoran Fan, a HeadFi primary inventor.A Rutgers-led paper on the invention, which results in "earable intelligence", will be formally published in October at MobiCom 2021, the top international conference on mobile computing and mobile and wireless networking. Headphones are among the most popular wearable devices worldwide and they continue to become; more intelligent as new functions appear, such as touch-based gesture control, the paper notes. Such functions usually rely on aiding sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and microphones that are availableon many smart headphones.HeadFi turns the two drivers already inside all headphones into a versatile (多功能的) sensor, and it works by connecting headphones to a pairing device, such as a smartphone. It doesn't require adding aiding sensors and avoids changes to headphone hardware or the need to customize headphones, both of which may increase their weight and size. By plugging into HeadFi, a converted headphone can perform sensing tasks and play music at the same time.The engineers conducted experiments with 53 volunteers using 54 pairs of headphones with prices ranging from $2. 99 to $15 ,000. HeadFi can achieve 97. 2 percent to 99. 5 percent accuracy on user identification, 96.8 percent to 99. 2 percent on heart rate monitoring and 97. 7 percent to 99. 3 percent on gesture recognition.4. What does Xiaoran Fan think of HeadFi?A. Secure to operate.B. Simple to use.C. Easy to substitute.D. Convenient to store.5. What can we know about HeadFi according to the text?A. It can't work with headphones alone.B. It actually functions as a versatile sensor.C. It makes headphones larger and heavier than usual.D. It doesn't work when headphones are playing music.6. The figures are listed in the last paragraph mainly to show_________.A. the various functions of HeadFiB. the wide popularity of headphonesC. the great complexity of headphonesD. the excellent performance of HeadFi7. What can be the best title for the text?A. How to Use Headphones AppropriatelyB. Headphones Can Be Upgraded InstantlyC. How to Make Regular Headphones IntelligentD. New Uses Have Been Found in HeadphonesCHappiness is not a warm phone, according to anew study exploring the link between young life satisfaction and screen time. The study was led by professor of psychology Jean M. Twenge at San Diego State University (SDSU).To research this link, Twenge, along with colleagues Gabrielle Martin at SDSU and W. Keith Campbell at the University of Georgia, dealt with data from the Monitoring the Future (MtF) study, a nationally representative survey of more than a million U. S. 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders. The survey asked students questions about how often they spent time on their Phones, tablets and computers, as well as questions about their face-to-face social interactions and their overall happiness.On average found that teens who spent more time in front of screen devices — playing computer games, using social media, texting and video chatting — were less happy than those who invested more time in non-screen activities like sports, reading newspapers and magazines, and face-to-face social interactions."The key to digital media use and happiness is limited use," Twenge said. "Aim to spend no more than two hours a day on digital media, and try to increase the amount of time you spend seeing friends face-to-face and exercising — two activities reliably linked to greater happiness."Looking at historical trends from the same age groups since the 1990s, it's easy to find that the increase ofscreen devices over time happened at the same time as a general drop-off in reported happiness inU. S.teens. Specifically, young peopled life satisfaction and happiness declined sharply after 2012. That's the year when the percentage of Americans who owned a smartphone rose above 50 percent. By far the largest change in teens' lives between 2012 and 2016 was the increase in the amount of time they spent on digital media, and the following decline in in-person social activities and sleep.8. Which method did Twenge's team use for the study?A. Calculating students' happiness.B. Asking students certain questions.C. Analyzing data from a survey.D. Doing experiments on screen time.9. How does the author develop the finding of the study in paragraph 3?A. By making a comparison.B. By giving an example.C. By making an argument.D. By introducing a concept.10. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?A. To draw a conclusion from the study.B. To offer some advice to the readers.C. To prove social activities' importance.D. To support the researchers' finding.11. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?A. Quitting Phones Equals HappinessB. Screen Time Should Be BannedC. Teens' Lives Have Changed SharplyD. Screen-addicted Teens Are UnhappierDIt was five years ago that something unforgettable happened. My wife and I celebrated our 40thwedding anniversary that year. It was a lovely event hosted by our sons for us. My wonderful friends from the past surprised us with gifts and congratulations. Our gift to each other was a driving trip out west. We drove fromOntariointoAlberta, then southward intoGlacierNational ParkinMontana, and continuedtoYellowstoneNational Park.It was a cold spring day, and theBeartooth Highwayhad opened for the season just days before. Alongside the road, there was still a great amount of snow there. The scenery was so impressive that we made lots of stops to record memories with my camera. At the highest point of the highway, I stopped at a lookout to catch the amazing views, with my wife in the centre of my camera lens.There were not many cars on the road. Sometimes, cars with energetic young tourists passed by. And then we heard a motorcycle in the distance. The driver of the motorcycle, who wore dirty clothes, parked behind our cars. As he approached us, his only words were, “Give me your camera and get over there with your wife.” I must admit I felt nervous that we might be robbed where we just created some beautiful memories. Surprisingly, he just took a picture of us, handed back my camera and rode off before we could express our gratitude. The photo he took is one of the most valuable and prized of our trip.I learned my lesson somewhere I least expected it. We should never judge a man by his appearance. If the motorcycle driver reads this story and remembers the situation, we would like to say “Thank you” to him.12. According to the passage, what do we know about the trip?A. It was taken by train to the west.B. It was a suggestion from their friends.C. It was in the late autumn five years ago.D. It was a gift for their wedding anniversary.13. Why was the author nervous when the motorcycle driver offered to take a picture?A. He could have lost the camera.B. His wife might not be satisfied with the view there.C. The motorcycle driver would borrow the camera.D. The motorcycle driver might not be good at the taking pictures.14. Which of the following best describes the driver of the motorcycle?A. Kind and straightforward.B. Rich and generous.C. Creative and capable.D. Careful and admirable.15. Which of the following can be concluded from the passage?A. No pains, no gains.B. Seeing is believing.C. Don’t judge a book by its cover.D. The longest journey begins with the first step.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年太原市外国语学校高三英语上学期期中试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AMany workers have had no choice but to adapt to working from home in recent months since offices shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic (新冠疫情). And the noisy situation and endless housework may result in a terrible emotion. A new option is waiting foryou. That is WFH: work from a hotel.Hotel FigueroA special program titled Work Perks aims to reposition some of 94-year-old Hotel Figuero’s 268 rooms as day-use offices.According to Managing Director Connie Wang, the set-up launched in June and is a great opportunity to get out of their houses with high-speed Wi-Fi, unlimited printing privileges and free parking. The 350-square-foot rooms sell for $ 129 per day, with an option to extend to an overnight stay for an additional $ 20.The WytheA boutique hotel in Brooklyn. The hotel recently announced a partnership with co-working office space company Industrious through which it is recycling 13 second-story guest rooms to serve as offices for up to four people.Each of the rooms has a small outdoor platform, and dogs are welcome. Pricing starts at $ 200 and goes up to $ 275, depending on how many people use the space.The SawyerThe Sawyer, in Sacramento, California, is offering pool cabanas (更衣室) for use as outdoor offices, complete with fast Wi-Fi, free parking and catered lunch for $ 150 per day.HotelsByDayYannis Moati founded HotelsByDay back in 2015. That company has grown to include more than 1,500 hotels, and has seen a significant increase in the number of inquiries for day-use bookings lately.Moati said the current situation will force hotels to upgrade themselves to stay alive, and he predicted that offering rooms for day-use only is one of the directions they will go.1.How much should one pay for a 24-hour stay in Hotel Figuero?A.$ 129.B.$ 149.C.$ 150.D.$ 200.2.Which hotel allows pets in?A.The Wythe.B.The Sawyer.C.HotelsByDay.D.Hotel Figuero.3.What do we know about Yannis Moati?A.He started a program titledWork Perks.B.He has upgraded at least 1,500 rooms.C.He usually predicts everything correctly.D.He is optimistic about the WFH trend.BI was at the hardware store the other day and overheard a woman tell Ed., the manager, that fall was her favorite time of year. Ed., because he liked to keep his customers happy, agreed that fall was a wonderful season, but I could tell he was lying.I was going through my mind recently, trying to find sweet memories of fall. I failed. I met my wife in the summer and married her two summers later. My sons were born in the winter and summer, my granddaughter in the winter. I’ve been fried twice in my life, both in fall. One October, a truck carrying tofu ran a red light and hit me, destroying my favorite car, combining the three things I most hate - trucks, tofu and October.I'm not saying fall is without its attractions. The leavesare beautiful. But fall's vacillation (立场摇摆)is troubling, its effort (努力)to please everyone, its continuous search for the middle ground to be all things to all people. Say what you will about summer and winter, at least they have the courage to keep their opinions strong, even if they kill us with extreme heat or cold.I recently read a story of a man coming out of a three-month coma (昏迷). It started in early fall and ended just as winter came. I hope if I were ever in a coma I would be just as lucky as the man.Upon my awakening, one of my families who stood around my bed would ask. "Don't you remember anything from the past three months?""Not the first thing," I would happily report.If I ever have enough money. I'm going to buy a second home inAustralia, so that when fall starts here, I can move there for three months, just when spring is starting.4. What did Ed think of the customers words according to the author?A. Ed understood them and supported the customer completely.B. Ed might hold a different opinion on the topic.C. Ed believed the customer wasn't telling the truth.D. Ed thought they stood for most peoples' opinion.5. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?A.The author has a big and loving family.B. The author is having a hard time at work.C. It is important to follow the rules of the road.D. Nothing good has happened to the author in fall.6. Why does the author say the man in Paragraph 4 was lucky?A. Because he slept fall away.B. Because he ho sweet memories of fall.C. Because hedreamed of fill many times.D. Because he was met by his family when waking up.7. Which of the following does the author most want to do?A. Drivetracks.B. Eat tofu dishes.C. Watch leaves falling in fall.D. Move toAustraliain October.CAlthough computer technology is often necessary today, using a pen or pencil activates more areas of your brain than a keyboard does. You can potentially remember more by handwriting, according to a new study.The potential benefits of handwriting for memory have been debated for some time. The new study set out to answer one question: How does handwriting compare to using a keyboard when it comes to remembering new information?In all,24 participants took part. Researchers asked each of them to write with a pen and then each was also asked to type on a keyboard. While performing these tasks, each volunteer wore a cap that held electrodes next to their head. It looked somewhat like a hair net fitted with 256 sensors. Those sensors recorded the participants' brainwaves. The electrodes noted which parts of the brain turned on during each task. And they showed that writing turned on memory areas in the brain while typing didn't.Audrey van der Meer, the new study's leader, says this suggests that when we write by hand, we remember better. “This is because writing involves complex movements that activate more areas of the brain. The increased brain activity gives the brain more ‘hooks’ to hang your memories on,” she explains. Van der Meer also points out that writing by hand is related to visual notetaking. “Rather than typing blindly, the visual notetaker has to thinkabout what is important to write down. Then, key words can be interlinked by boxes, arrows and small drawings,” she adds.This study does not recommend banning digital devices. In fact, its authors point out, computers and other devices with keyboards have become necessary in modern society. Keyboarding can especially benefit those with certain special needs (such as if they have trouble using their hands) and typing beats writing when it comes to speed, they add.8. Why were participants asked to wear caps in the study?A. To record their brainwavesB. To inform them of their tasksC. To allow them to focus on writingD. To protect their heads like hair nets9. What does Audrey van der Meer try to explain?A. Why handwriting is more complex than typingB. Why the brain works when it comes to learningC. Why handwriting helps remember informationD. Why key words are helpful to visual notetaking10. What is the study's authors' view on typing?A. It relieves people's handsB. It remains vital and helpfulC. It is not worth recommendingD. It is more challenging than writing11. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?A. How Can You Remember New Information?B. Handwriting Benefits Health in the LongRunC. Should Typing Take the Place of Handwriting?D. Handwriting Is Better for Memory Than TypingDWhen a fire broke out in my home in the middle of the night, I knew I'd do anything I could to save my family. The medicine that I take for my rheumatoid arthritis causes me to wake up inthe middle of the night with a dry mouth. January 15, 2016, was no different. I, Indiana, US, awoke at 2:30am needing water.I was walking back upstairs from the kitchen when I heard my bulldog , Rock. Whatever Rock was doing down there, it made enough noise for me to go to him. By the time I made it to the bottom of the stairs, he was running up, and he never came up the stairs, no matter what. I think that was his way of telling me, "We've got to go back up. "When I got to the top of the stairs, I turned around and saw a light on, but I didn't remember leaving one on. I walked downstairs again, and that's when I saw fire. I immediately shouted to my wife to wake up and get our three kids. I grabbed a knife and cut out the plastic that covered the window to the porch roof. I then pried openthe window and kicked out the screen. I started screaming for help. But help never came. I got everybody out on the roof and threw a blanket out there so we wouldn't slip off. It was cold, January cold. Then I started screaming for help. But help never came.Now, I'm scared of heights and have physical issues, what with my rheumatoid arthritis, but I couldn't let my family burn up. So I jumped off the roof. I didn't scoot to the edge; I just jumped and got the wind knocked out of me when I landed. I found our ladder, placed it against the house, and climbed back up to the roof. I wrapped my arms around my daughter and carried my nine - month - old with my teeth, by his little sleeper. Then I climbed down the ladder. Once on the ground, I had my little girl hold her brother, and I went back up to the roof to get my other daughter. Then I went back up again and got my wife. I tried to get my dog, but he just disappeared in the black smoke. I never saw him alive again,I'm no hero. I'm just an ordinary person who'd help anybody. This happened to be the time when I helped my own family. I live to protect my family. Just likeRock—he lived to protect us.12. What made the author wake up at 2:30am?A. My dog's barkingB. The medicine's effectC. A burning fireD. A noise downstairs13. How did Rock tell the author the danger downstairs?A. He turned on a light downstairs.B. He ran to the author's room upstairs.C. He kept barking and running up to stairs.D. He made some noise at the bottom of the stairs.14. What did the author do after his family all stood on the roof?A. He placed a blanket to keep warm.B. He started screaming for help.C. He jumped off the roof.D. He broke open the window and kicked out the screen15. Which ofthe following best describe the author?A. Courageous and responsibleB. Caring and selfishC. Loyal and braveD. Strong and considerate第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年太原外国语学校高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ALocated in the beautiful Sichuan Basin, Chongqing is a magical 8D city. The natural history and cultural scenery of the area provide children with learning opportunities because they can enjoy the many wonders of this area.Fengjie Tiankeng Ground JointTiankeng Diqiao Scenic Area is located in the southern mountainous area of Fengjie County. The Tiankeng pit is 666 meters deep and is currently the deepest tiankeng in the world. The scenic spot is divided into ten areas including Xiaozhai Tiankeng, Tianjingxia Ground, Labyrinth River, and Longqiao River. There are many and weird karst cave shafts, and countless legends haunt them.Youyang Peach GardenYouyang Taohuayuan Scenic Area is a national forest park, a national 5A-level scenic spot, and a national outdoor sports training base. Located in the hinterland of Wuling Mountain. The Fuxi Cave in the scenic spot is about 3,000 meters long, with winding corridors, deep underground rivers, and color1 ful stalactites. The landscape is beautiful.Jinyun Mountain National Nature ReserveJinyun Mountain is located in Beibei District of Chongqing City, about 45 kilometers away from the Central District of Chongqing City. The nine peaks of Jinyun Mountain stand upright and rise from the ground. The ancient trees on the mountain are towering, the green bamboos form the forest, the environment is quiet, and the scenery is beautiful, so it is called "Little Emei". Among them, Yujian Peak is the highest, 1050 meters above sea level; Lion Peak is the most precipitous and spectacular, and the other peaks are also unique.Chongqing People's SquareChongqing's Great Hall of the People, one of the landmarks of Chongqing, gives people the deepest impression than its magnificent appearance resembling the Temple of Heaven. It also uses the traditional method of central axis symmetry, with colonnade-style double wings and a tower ending, plus a large green glazed roof, large red pillars, white railings, double-eave bucket arches, and painted carved beams.1.How deep is the Tiankeng Ground Joint?A.666mB.3,000mC.45kmD.1050m2.Which of the following rocks can you see in Youyang Peach Garden?A.LimestoneB.StalactiteC.MarbleD.Quartzite3.Which attraction is closest to downtown Chongqing?A.Fengjie Tiankeng Ground JointB.Jinyun Mountain National Nature ReserveC.Chongqing People's SquareD.Youyang Peach GardenBJIANLI, Hubei Province, June 2 (Xinhua) — A cruise ship carrying more than 450 people sank in the Yangtze River overnight, which could be China’s worst sinking disaster in decades. As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, 14 peoplehad been rescued from the capsized vessel, with five others confirmed dead. The rest are still missing, although rescuers said there could be more survivors. Strong winds and heavy rain are hampering rescue efforts.The Eastern Star sank in only 15 meters of water “within one or two minutes” of being caught in freak weather in Jianli, according to the ship’s captain and chief engineer who survived the incident. The ship left the eastern Chinese city ofNanjingon May 28 bound forChongqingMunicipality.The ship was carrying 403 passengers, five tour guides, and 46 crew, rather than the previously reported 47. Most passengers were tourists fromShanghaiand its neighboringprovinceofJiangsu, aged between 3 and 83, with most in their 60s and 70s.The 76.5-meter-long and 11-meter-wide vessel has been in service for nearly 20 years and can carry up to 534 people. It is owned by Chongqing Dongfang Shipping. Waterway officials said they have no record of the company being involved in any previous sinking incidents.According to weather forecast, most of the Yangtze basin will be subject to downpours over the next 10 days, with heavy rain expected in the area where the search is underway.Police, waterway authorities and fire departments have sent more than 150 boats and over 4,000 personnel to the scene. The Chinese Navy has sent diving forces to search for the missing. The team is composed of soldiers from the navy’s fleets in the North Sea, East China Sea, andSouth China Sea, as well as students of the Naval University of Engineering. In addition, five helicopters were dispatched fromBeijingandHubei’s provincial capital ofWuhanon Tuesday morning, along with an IL-76 transport plane.4. We can infer from the text that ________.A. the incident was very suddenB. the weather benefited the rescueC. the ship had bad safety recordsD. the ship’s captain was drowned5. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the Eastern Star?A. It was overloaded.B. It’s been launched recently.C. It had 454 people on board.D. Its owner met similar incidents.6. What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?A. How people came to the rescue.B. Why the rescue was quite difficult.C. What the rescue force consisted of.D. How the rescue operation went on.7. The author’s purpose of writing the text is most likely to ________.A. informB. explainC. describeD. entertainCOver the years, NASA has successfully sent several rovers (飞行器) to Mars. While the science laboratories continue to provide important information on the Red Planet, they keep the space exploration rovers staying closeto the original landing place.To get a more comprehensive (详尽的) view of Mars, the US Space Agency plans to make a small test helicopter with the Mars 2020 Rover, which will be sent off in July 2020.The football-sized “marscopter” weighs about four pounds.It can fly at about ten times the speed of helicopters on Earth. The light weight and fast speed are important for the helicopter to be able to fly in the thin Mars atmosphere, which is about just one percent of that of Earth. “To make it fly in that thin Mars atmosphere, we had to make everything ready, and make it as light as possible while being as strong and powerful as it can possibly be. “Mimi Aung, Mars helicopter project manager, said in a meeting.Upon landing on the Red Planet, the Mars 2020 Rover will find a proper location to send of the helicopter. The helicopter will start with a short climb, no higher than 10 feet, and hover (盘旋) for just 30 seconds before landing back on the Mars surface. If all goes well, five more flights of longer distances, for 90 seconds each, will beconducted over the next 30 days. The short journeys will be recorded by a small camera and sent back to the scientists on Earth.If the plan goes on well, the first helicopter to fly in another world, will open up a whole new way to explore Mars. The Mars helicopter's first flight will be a great invention. For those of us whose research is about flight, that would be a wonderful, historic moment.8. To fly in thin Mars atmosphere，we should make the helicopter_______.A. strong and heavyB. heavy and fastC. light and fastD. strong and slow9. How many times will the helicopter fly?A. Three timesB. Four timesC. Five timesD. Six times10. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A. It’s interesting to fly in another world.B. I' s important to fly in another world.C. The plan to fly the helicopter goes on well.D. The helicopters first flight is successful.11. What may be the best title for the passage?A. To send a helicopter to Mars in 2020B. To send a rover to Mars in 2020C. To live in the thin Mars atmosphereD. To send back records to scientistsDWhen almost everyone has a mobile phone, why are more than half of Australian homes still paying for a landline（座机）?These days you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in Australia over the age of 15 who doesn’t own a mobile phone. In fact plenty of younger kids have one in their pocket. Practically everyone can make and receive calls anywhere, anytime.Still, 55 percent of Australians have a landline phone at home and only just over a quarter（29%）rely only on their smartphones according to a survey（调查）. Of those Australians who still have a landline, a thirdconcedethat it’s not really necessary and they’re keeping it as a security blanket — 19 percent say they never use it while a further13 percent keep it in case of emergencies. I think my home falls into that category.More than half of Australian homes are still choosing to stick with their home phone. Age is naturally a factor （因素）— only 58 percent of Generation Ys still use landlinesnow and then, compared to 84 percent of BabyBoomers who’ve perhaps had the same home number for 50 years. Age isn’t the only factor; I’d say it’s also to do with the makeup of your household.Generation Xers with young families, like my wife and I, can still find it convenient to have a home phone rather than providing a mobile phone for every family member. That said, to be honest the only people who ever ring our home phone are our Baby Boomers parents, to the point where we play a game and guess who iscalling before we pick up the phone（using Caller ID would take the fun out of it）.How attached are you to your landline? How long until they go the way of gas street lamps and morning milk deliveries?12. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about mobilephones?A. Their target users.B. Their wide popularity.C. Their major functions.D. Their complex design.13. What does the underlined word “concede” in paragraph 3 mean?A. Admit.B. Argue.C. Remember.D. Remark.14. What can we say about Baby Boomers?A. They like smartphone games.B. They enjoy guessing callers’ identity.C. They keep using landline phones.D. They are attached to their family.15. What can be inferred about the landline from the last paragraph?A. It remains a family necessity.B. Itwill fall out of use some day.C. It may increase daily expenses.D. It is as important as the gas light.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原外国语学校高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AAs a nation, we are getting bigger and eating more. But there are effective ways to control your appetite and eat only as much as you need.Keep away from low-nutrition snacksThat means ice cream, sweets, chips biscuits, cakes and any other salty orsugary snacks you eat between meals. Although we have a tendency to eat them, you can learn to live without these unhealthy-and-fattening-additions to your diet. Try to make it a habit to eat them only when offered at social events or as a special treat.Leave half an hour between main course and dessertHaving a break between courses gives your brain time to receive the fullness signal and make you more likely to refuse the sweet stuff. And, in fact, as soon as you feel the first signals of fullness, remove your plate from the table. That will tell your brain that food time is over.Make yours a small helpingPut an end to super-sized portions. You won’t be missing out—today’s small was the medium or large of a few decade ago. Select or serve yourself a modest portion and eat it slowly enjoying the flavors. Before you know it, small will feel just right. What’s more, ordering the smaller size leads to wearing the smaller size.Distract yourselfWhen you find yourself hunting down food, even though you’re even hungry, do something else for 20 minutes. Drink a large glass of water as thirst is often confused with a desire for food. Choose something that engages your brain as well as your hands, such as writing a letter or listening to a song. You could also go for a short walk or do something that you enjoy. If you think you really are hungry, set an alarm for 20 minutes’ time and if you still want to eat when it rings, fine. If not, the urge will have passed.1. Which way suits you better if you tend to order a large portion of food?A. Distract yourself.B. Make yours a small helping.C. Keep away from low-nutrition snacks.D. Leave half an hour between main course and dessert.2. Why should you have a break between main course and dessert?A. To give people time to chat.B. To have a good appetite for sweet stuff.C. To reduce appetite for dessert.D. To give the host time to remove your plate.3. When you find yourself pursuing for food, what should you do?A. Eat some biscuits.B. Eat some sugary snacks.C. Have some soft drinks.D. Listen to a lovely melody.BYellowstoneNational ParkbecameAmerica's first national park in 1872. The National Park Service was formed 44 years later in 1916.Yellowstone, which is mostly in the state of Wyoming, is considered an example of the success of the National Park System.Humans have been present in Yellowstone for more than 11,000 years.Yellowstone contains beautiful mountains, deep canyons(峡谷), lakes and rivers.The nameYellowstonecomes from the river running through the area. At first known as Rock Yellow River, it became known as theYellowstoneRiver.Yellowstoneis host to many different species of plants. However, the park is most distinctive because of what lies underneath it. It sits on top of an ancient super volcano, known as The Yellowstone Caldera. The caldera is 48 by 72 kilometers. And it remains an active volcano.It is believed that the last time the volcano erupted was one half million years ago. The area has had three major eruptions in the last three million years.Experts say it may erupt again in another 1,000 to 10,000 years. But each year, there are thousands of earthquakes atYellowstone. Most are too small to be felt by people visiting the park.Yellowstoneis filled with the beauty of many hot water springs. hot water and gasses are trapped under the earth. they rush to the surface in the form of hot water and steam.Old Faithful is The most famous one .Iterupts about every hour or hour and a half. The eruption can last from one and a half minutes up to 5 minutes. The amount of hot water it expels（排出）in that time can be as much as 31,000 liters or more.In addition to its beauty and wonder, Yellowstone is an animal sanctuary（保护区）. It is home to the largest group of wild animals in theUnited States. As you travel through the park, you can sometimes see them in their natural habitat and hear their calls .4. What wasYellowstonenamed after?A. RockYellow RiverB. The amazing mountains.C. The stones with yellow color1D. The first discovery inwyoming.5. What makesYellowstonequite unique?A. The scenery is beautiful.B. There are a lot of explorers.C. It’s home to many plants.D. Its location is very special.6. What does the underlined word“It”in Paragraph 5 refer to?A. The earth.B. Yellowstone.C.Old Faithful.D. TheYellowstoneCaldera.7. What can we infer from the text?A. The Yellowstone Caldera has been dead for years.B. Yellowstone is a shelter for the protected wildlife.C. Big earthquakes happen frequently atYellowstone.D.YellowstoneNational Parkhas attracted visitors for centuries.COne Sunday morning, my family and I went to a popular restaurant for breakfast. As soon as we walked into Restaurant Happy Meal, a young waitress showed us to a table.We ordered our food and soon after, our food came. Just as we were about to begin our meal, we heard someone shouting for the boss.“What is this? A dead fly in my food!’’ a man with a deep scar (疤) acrosshis face shouted angrily. He strongly hit his fist on the table and swept the plates and cups off it.Thesecame crashing to the floor, breaking into pieces. His companion, a huge man with a tattoo on his arm, stared angrily at the boss who stood nervously in front of the two gangsters (歹徒).The boss apologized repeatedly to the angry customers and tried to calm them down by offering to replace their food. He even told them that they could have their meal for free.The commotion(混乱) affected the business of the restaurant. Fearing that aquarrel would happen, many customers quickly paid for their meals and left the restaurant hurriedly. Some of them had not even finished their breakfast.My father told us to eat our food quickly and not to look at the two angry men. We obeyed him and finished our food within minutes. That was probably the quietest and fastest breakfast my family ever had.Although my father warned us not to look at the two unruly (任性的) customers, I could not help stealing a glance at them.I saw that the boss had managed to calm the two angry customers. Fresh food and drinks were brought to their table. They sat down again and continued their breakfast. Meanwhile the waitress who had shown us to our table earlier swept up the broken china.8. What does the underlined word “These” refer to?A. Tables.B. Cups and plates.C. Two angry customers.D. Dead fly and the food.9. What can we know about the owner from paragraph 4?A. He was sorry for what had happened.B. He was angry with the two customers.C. He was pardoned by the two customers.D. He was disappointed that the men caused problems here.10. What can we infer about the writer and his family?A. They might often talk while they ate.B. They ordered a lot of food each time they ate out.C. They often ate silently and that day was no exception.D. They usually did not like to be disturbed while they ate.11. What did the writer think of the boss?A. Foolish.B. Active.C. Hardworking.D. Wise.DOn World Oceans Day, which falls on June 8, the US National Geographic Society announced it would recognize the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, bringing the global total to five.Unlike the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and PacificOceans—which are defined by the continents that bound them—the Southern Ocean is instead characterized by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current（南极洋流）. According to the National Geographic, the Southern Ocean includes most of the waters surrounding Antarcticaout to 60 degrees south latitude（纬度）."Encircled by the powerfully swift ACC, it is the only ocean to touch three others and to completely embrace a continent rather than being embraced by them," Sylvia Earle, a marine biologist and oceanographer, told the Daily Mail.Those familiar with the Southern Ocean know it's unlike any other. "Anyone who has been there will struggle to explain what's so charming about it, but they'll all agree that the glaciers are bluer, the air colder, the mountains more awful and the landscapes morecaptivatingthan anywhere else you can go," Seth Sykora-Bodie, a marine scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told National Geographic.National Geographic hopes their revised maps will bring public awareness to the region, thereby encouraging Southern Ocean conservation—but its significance is beyond that."We think it's really important from an educational standpoint, as well as from a map-labeling standpoint, to bring attention to the Southern Ocean as a fifth ocean," Alex Tait, National Geographic Society geographer, told The Post. "So when students learn about parts of the ocean world, they learn it's an interconnected ocean, and they learn there are these regions called oceans that are really important, and there's a distinct one in the icy waters around Antarctica."12. Why is the Southern Ocean different from other oceans?A. It has never been explored before.B. It surrounds the Antarctic all around.C. It is enclosed by the fast-flowing ACC.D. It has ecologically distinct environment.13. What does the underlined word "captivating" in paragraph 4 probably mean?A. Strange.B. Unusual.C. Attractive.D. Informal.14. What does the National Geographic think of the Southern Ocean?A. It will be instructive for students.B. It will promote tourism development.C. It will encourage public to treasure water.D. It will draw scientists to study in the Antarctic.15. What is the best title for the text?A. World Oceans DayB. Revised Antarctic MapsC. Adding a New OceanD. New Discovery under the Sea第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年太原市第三中学高三英语期中试卷及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ACome and enjoy Vivaldi's TheFour Seasonsperformed by live musicians!Tickets△Zone A Sating (Excellent Visibility, $75)△Zone B Seating (Great Visibility, $60)△Zone C Seating (Good Visibility, $45)△Zone D Seating (Restricted Visibility, 30)Zone A and Zone B audiences will get the chance to take pictures with the performers on the stage after the show.Highlights* A beautiful venue bathed in candlelight.*Classical music performance by the Angel Strings quartet*A safe and socially-distanced event, ensuring you are comfortable and at ease.General Info*Dates and times: Various dates, at 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm (select during purchase).*How long: 65 minutes. Doors open 45 minutes before the start time. We recommend you arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the event, as late entry is not permitted.*Where: Events on Oxlade*Age requirement: Must be 8 years old or older to attend. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.*Please note: The 6:30 pm seating will take place during daylight hours outdoors, and the space will not be that dark. In the case of rain, the event will be moved to the indoor area of the venue.DescriptionWhether you're looking for a beautifully unique classical music performance or a romantic candlelit experience, this performance is for you. You don't need to know all things about Vivaldi to enjoy the evening; simply sit back and admire the wonderful atmosphere and the pieces you'll hear.Join our musicians for an evening under the stars, and prepare to be taken into the clouds with Vivaldi' s most treasured masterpieces!1.What can someone with a $45 ticket do?A.Perform on the stage.B.Enjoy good visibility.C.Select a seat in Zone B.D.Take photos with the musicians.2.What should potential audiences keep in mind?A.Arrive at the venue on time.B.Learn about Vivaldi in advance.C.The performance lasts 45 minutes.D.The event will be canceled if it rains.3.What do we know about the 8:30 p.m. performance?A.It welcomes children under the age of 8.B.Its performers differ on different dates.C.Its stage will be decorated with candles.D.It will be shown in the indoor area of the venue.BYou’ve heard that plastic is polluting the oceans — between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter ocean ecosystems every year. But does one plastic straw or cup really make a difference? Artist Benjamin Von Wong wants you to know that it does. He builds massive sculptures out of plastic garbage, forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to single-use plastic products.At the beginning of the year, the artist built a piece called “Strawpocalypse,” a pair of 10-foot-tall plastic waves, frozen mid-crash. Made of 168,000 plastic straws collected from several volunteer beach cleanups, the sculpture made its first appearance at the Estella Place shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.Just 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Plastic straws are by no means the biggest source（来源）of plastic pollution, but they’ve recently come under fire because most people don’t need them to drink with and, because of their small size and weight, they cannot be recycled. Every straw that’s part ofVon Wong’s artwork likely came from a drink that someone used for only a few minutes. Once the drink is gone, the straw will take centuries to disappear.In a piece from 2018, Von Wong wanted to illustrate（说明）a specific statistic: Every 60 seconds, a truckload’s worth of plastic enters the ocean. For this work, titled “Truckload of Plastic,” Von Wong and a group of volunteers collected more than 10,000 pieces of plastic, which were then tied together to look like they’d been dumped（倾倒）from a truck all atonce.Von Wong hopes that his work will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint.4. What are Von Wong’s artworks intended for?A. Beautifying the city he lives in.B. Introducing eco-friendly products.C. Drawing public attention to plastic waste.D. Reducing garbage on the beach.5. Why does the author discuss plastic straws in paragraph 3?A. To show the difficulty of their recycling.B. To explain why they are useful.C. To voice his views on modern art.D. To find a substitute for them.6. What effect would “Truckload of Plastic” have on viewers?A. Calming.B. Disturbing.C. Refreshing.D. Challenging.7. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?A. Artists’ Opinions on Plastic SafetyB. Media Interest in Contemporary ArtC. Responsibility Demanded of Big CompaniesD. Ocean Plastics Transformed into SculpturesCAge has never been a problem for 16-year-old Thessalonika Arzu-Embry. After all, she’s already got her master’s degree.The North Chicago-area teen started homeschooling at the age of 4. She began having an influence on others soon after. When she was 6 years old, she was an inspirational speaker at an organization called Tabitha House Community Service, which is for people who were forced to leave their homes because of earthquake, flood and other natural disasters.At the age of 11, she graduated from high school and then earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2013. She completed those classes online as she was traveling for church events and leadership meetings.She doesn’t stop there, though. The teen plans to focus on aviation psychology (航空心理学) for her further study, a decision inspired by her father who is a pilot. She grew up around airplanes and took fights all the time. Her goal is to use it to help pilots deal with problems that could have deadly results once the plane takes off — a topic that has been in the news lately. For her, it’s a mix of two of her interests.In her free time, Thessalonika enjoys playing tennis, swimming and being active in her youth group at church. She also has three self-published books, which are on her site. Jump the Education Barrier is written to help students finish college, and in the future aims to help business owners with trends. Her third book The Genius Race is designed to help people to be talents in various areas of life.8. Which of the following is TRUE about Thessalonika?A. When she was 6 years old, she started homeschooling.B. She gained her master’s degree at the age of 11.C. She majored in science and technology.D. In 2013 she got her bachelor’s degree through completing courses online.9. What is her next plan according to the passage?A. Major in aviation psychology.B. Deliver inspiring speeches for church events and leadership meetings.C. Be active in her youth group at church.D. Write another book to help people to be talents.10. Why does she write the book Jump the Education Barrier?A. It aims to help people to be geniuses.B. It is intended to give students a hand to complete college.C. It is designed to arouse people’s awareness of psychology.D. The author hope to share her own experience with others.11. Which ofthe following can be the best title for the text?A. The Story of ThessalonikaB. To be a talentC. Three Published BooksD. HomeschoolingDClara Daly was seated on an Alaska Airlines flight from Boston to Los Angeles when a flight attendant asked an urgent(紧急的) question over the loudspeaker: “Does anyone on board know American Body Language?” She knew she needed to help.Clara, 15 at the time, pressed the call button. The flight attendant came by and explained the situation. “We have a passenger on the plane who’s blind and deaf,” she said. The passenger seemed to want something, but he was traveling alone and the flight attendants couldn’t understand what he needed, according to PEOPLE magazine.Clara had been studying ASL for the past year to help with her dyslexia (阅读障碍) and knew she’d be able tospell on the man’s palm(手掌) by finger. So she unbuckled her seat belt, walked toward the front of the plane, and knelt by the aisle seat of Tim Cook, then 64. Gently taking his hand, she wrote, “How are you? Are you OK?” Cook asked for some water. When it arrived, Clara returned to her seat. She came by again a bit later because he wanted to know the time. On her third visit, she stopped and stayed for a while.“He didn’t need anything. He was lonely and wanted to talk,” Clara said. So for the next hour, that was what they did. She talked about her family and her plans for the future (she wants to be a politician). Cook told Clara how he had gradually become blind over time and shared stories of his days as a traveling salesman. Even though he couldn’t see her, she “looked attentively at his face with such kindness”, a passenger reported.“Clara was amazing,” a flight attendant told Alaska Airlines in a blog interview. “You could tell Cook was very excited to have someone he could speak to, and she was such a warm-hearted girl.” Cook’s reaction: “Best trip I’ve ever had.”Looking for ways to offer help? Start with this random(随时的) act of kindness that can change someone’s life right now.12. The flight attendant asked an urgent question because ________.A. the passenger was traveling aloneB. the plane was in a dangerous situationC. the passenger asked for something suddenlyD. none of the flight attendants could communicate with the passenger13. Why did Clara talk about her plans for the future?A. Because the flight attendant asked her to do so.B. Because she needed topics to go on talking with Cook.C. Because Cook hoped to understand teenagers better.D. Because she wanted to show her dream for the future.14. Which of the following words can best describe Clara?A. Kind and caring.B. Warm-hearted and brave.C. careful and calm.D. opened-minded and confident.15. The passage is mainly written to ________.A. tell a touching story of an amazing girlB. show the great importance of American Body LanguageC. encourage readers to give a hand kindly and randomlyD. show how kind the flight attendant was to help Cook第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市外国语学校高三英语上学期期中试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AOne day when I was 5, my mother blamed me for not finishing my rice and I got angry. I wanted to play outside and not to be made to finish eating my old rice. When angrily opening the screen door (纱门) with my foot, I kicked back about a 12-inch part of the lower left hand corner of the new screen door. But I had no regret, for I was happy to be playing in the backyard with my toys.Today, I know if my child had done what I did, I would have blamed my child, and told him about how expensive this new screen door was, and I would have delivered a spanking (打屁股) for it. However, my parents never said a word. They left the corner of the screen door pushed out, creating an opening, in the defense against unwanted insects.For years, every time I saw that corner of the screen, it would constantly make me think about my mistake. For years, I knew that everyone in my family would see that hole and remember who did it. For years, every time I saw a fly buzzing (嗡嗡) in the kitchen, I would wonder if it came in through the hole that I had created with my angry foot. Iwould wonder if my family members were thinking the same thing, silently blaming me every time a flying insect entered our home, making life more terrible for us all. My parents taught me a valuable lesson, one that a spanking or stern (严厉的) words perhapscould not deliver. Their silent punishment for what I had done delivered a hundred stern messages to me. Above all, it has helped me become a more patient person and not burst out so easily.1. When the author damaged the door, his parents _______.A. gave him a spankingB. left the door unrepairedC. told him how expensive it wasD. blamed him for what he had done2. The experience may cause the author _______.A. not to go against his parents’ willB. to have a better control of himselfC. not to make mistakes in the futureD. to hide his anger away from others3. What is the main idea of this text?A. Parents is the best way to solve problems.B. Parents are the best teachers of their children.C. Adults should ignore their children’s bad behavior.D. Silent punishment may have a better effect on educating people.BBob, a Burroughs junior high school football player, always had his mom cheering him on. He didn’t play exciting positions. He played as a linebacker(中后卫球员). Sadly, he often found himself at the bottom of the piles, where everyone would jump onto each other at the end of every play. Bob's mom realized it was hard for her son to hear her cheering. She hadto find a solution, but couldn't find one.Then one day the coach from the school team asked him if he wanted to join the team. Bob wasecstatic, because he was only a ninth grader. His mom was also excited, since she loved football and especially loved watching her son play. She kept considering a way for him to hear her. A cowbell! That was it. Now from the bottom of the piles Bob would hear his mom shaking her cowbell crazily, knowing she was there for him.Bob's team finally made it to the state championship game. What exciting time to play at Busch Stadium under the lights! This experience made Bob appreciate all the years that his mom had sacrificed everything to get him to practice every day, to wash his uniforms, and to never miss a game. He had to do something.On the night of the state championship game, the loudspeakers introduced Bob, and as he walked onto the field his mom shook the cowbell, hard. However, it didn’t sound right. She looked its inside, and found a note saying,”Thank you, Mom.” Bob had left her a note expressing his appreciation for always being with him, filling her heart with warmth.Finally Burroughs claimed the title of State Champion. While others were cheering and admiring the state championship cup, Bob' s mom clutched(紧握) her cowbell happily.Years later, Bob’s mom died. While digging through her belongings, he found the cowbell with the note. Bob took it to his mom's funeral and rang it, whispering, "Thank you, Mom.”4. What does the underlined word "ecstatic” mean in Paragraph 2?A. CuriousB. DisappointedC. AnxiousD. Delighted5. Why did Bob's mom want to get a cowbell?A. To amuse her cow.B. To teach her cowC. To attract his attention.D. To make him hear her6. What can be learned from Paragraph 3?A. Bob's mom devoted much time to himB. Bob was the best player in his teamC. Bob owed his success to his coachD. Bob's mom was a football player at college7. Why didn’t the cowbell sound as usual that night?A. The mother was very weak.B. Bob had put a note inside the bell.C. The weather became terrible suddenlyD. The bell had been broken deliberates.CImaginary friends in childhood refer to the invisible beings that a child gives a personality to and plays with for over three months.Crabbycrab（蟹）appeared on a holiday in Norway by running out of my four-year-old son Fisher's ear after a night of tears from an earache. Like other childhood imaginary friends, Crabby should be a sign thatFisher's mind is growing and developing positively. Indeed, research shows that imaginary friends can help develop children's social skills.Research has shown that the positive effects of having imaginary friends as a child continue into adulthood. Adolescents who remember their imaginary playmates have been found to use more activecoping（应对）styles, such as seeking advice from loved ones rather than bottle things up inside. Even adolescents with behavioral problems who had imaginary friends as children have been found to have better coping skills through the teenage years.Scientists thinkthis could be because these teens have been able to adjust themselves to the social world with imagination rather than choose to be involved in relationships with more difficult classmates. It could also be because the imaginary friends help to reduce these adolescents,loneliness.These teens are also more likely to seek out social connections -they tend to turn to others for advice. Current research by Tori Watson is taking this evidence and looking at how adolescents who have imaginary friends as children deal withbullying（欺凌）at school. It is found that teens who remember their imaginary friends are better at dealing with bullying.While we know a lot about childhood imaginary friends such as Crabby Crab and the positive effects they can have, there is still a lot to learn about imaginary friends.8. What is Crabby crab?A. It is a crab Fisher caught inNorway.B. It is Fisher's imaginary friend.C. It is a toy Fisher like much.D. It is a cause of earache.9. Why do children with imaginary friends have better coping skills?A. Imaginary friends help improve their adjustment.B. Having imaginary friends makes them smarter.C. They have rich imagination.D. They are no longer alone.10. What will a child with imaginary friends probably do if he is bullied?A. Escape from the bully.B. Fight with the bully bravely.C. Keep silent about being bullied.D. Ask a parent or a teacher for help.11. What is the author's attitude towards the effect of imaginary friends?A. Concerned.B. Doubtful.C. Optimistic.D. Indifferent.DIn order to help discover spoilage and reduce food waste for supermarkets and consumers, researchers have developed new low-cost, smart phone-linked, eco-friendly spoilage sensors for meat and fish packaging.One in threeUKconsumers throw away food just because it reaches the use-by date, but 60% of the £12.5 billion-worth of food we throw away each year is safe to eat.The researchers, whose findings were published in ACS Sensors, say the sensors could also eventually replace the use-by date—a widely used indicator of being fresh and eatable.The sensors cost two US cents each to make. Known as “paper-based electrical gas sensors (PEGS)”, they detect spoilage gases like ammonia (a poisonous gas with a strong unpleasant smell) in meat and fish products. The information provided by the electronic nose is received by a smart phone, and then you can know whether the food is fresh and safe to eat.The Imperial College London researchers who developed PEGS made the sensors by printing carbon electrodes onto a special type of paper. The materials are eco-friendly and harmless, so they don’t damage theenvironment and are safe to use in food packaging. The sensors, combined with a tiny electronic system, then inform nearby mobile devices, which identify and understand the data about spoilage gases.Lead author Dr Firat Guder of Imperial’s Department of Bioengineering, said, “Although they’re designed to keep us safe, use-by dates can lead to eatable food being thrown away. They don’t always reflect its actual freshness. In fact, people often get sick from food-borne diseases due to poor storage, even when an item is within its use-by date.”“These sensors are cheap enough so we hope to see supermarkets using them within three years. Our goal is to use PEGS in food packaging to reduce unnecessary food waste.”The authors hope that PEGS could have applications beyond food processing, like sensing chemicals in agriculture, air quality, and detecting disease markers in breath like those involved in kidney disease.12. What is the function of PEGS according to the text?A. To improve the taste of foods.B. To improve the service of stores.C. To help supermarkets store foods.D. To help people test food freshness.13. What role does the smartphone play while PEGS are functioning?A. It acts as an electronic nose.B. It reads the data collected by PEGS.C. It helps print the gas sensors onto paper.D. It discovers the spoilage gases from foods.14. What does Dr. Firat Guder say about use-by dates?A. They are not completely reliable.B. They can help reduce food waste.C. They are based on scientific research.D. They are not accepted by the consumers.15. What does the author mainly talk about in the text?A. The process of researching spoilage sensors.B. A new technology in packaging to reduce food waste.C. The application of spoilage sensors beyond food processing.D. The influence of use-by dates on supermarkets and consumers.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届太原市进山中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThe Costa Book Awards consistently pick winners that are both of the moment and subsequently endure. It's our pleasure to confirm this year’s Category Winners.First Novel Award WinnerBook: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely FineAuthor: Gail HoneymanEleanor is 31 years old; work finishes on a Friday and begins again on a Monday. Between, her only company will be two bottles of vodka and her own solitary, unique wit (机智). It is contentment, of a kind, but an unexpected shared experience suddenly opens the door to possibility. Challenging reader expectations with a living, breathing character, Gail Honeyman’s debut (初次登台、开张)is a funny and moving diamond.Biography Award WinnerBook: In the Days of RainAuthor: Rebecca StottThe Exclusive Brethren were aclosed community who believed the world is ruled by Satan. Into this is born Rebecca. Her father had been an influential Brethren Minister. As her father lay dying, he begged her to help him write the memoir. He wanted to tell the story of their family who for generations had all been members of a fundamentalist Christian sect.Poetry Award WinnerBook: Inside the WaveAuthor: Helen DunmoreTo be alive is to be inside the wave, always travelling until it breaks and is gone. These poems are concerned with the borderline between the living and the dead — the underworld and the human living world – and the acutely intense being of both.Children's Award WinnerBook:The ExplorerAuthor: Katherine Rundell, Hannah HornFour children survive their aircraft plunging into the Amazon jungle, but for Fred and his friends it’s only the beginning of a cruel battle for survival. Brimming with adventure and a real command of character and incident, Rundell has few peers in superb children's fiction.1.What kind of life does Eleanor lead?A.boring and lonely.B.funny and touching.C.exciting and complex.D.ordinary and happy.2.Why did Rebecca Stott writeIn the Days of Rain?A.To introduce beliefs of the Exclusive Brethren.B.To help her father fulfill his last wish.CTo share the life of fundamentalist Christians.D.To pass on her family traditions.3.For a young adventurous soul, which book seems more appealing?A.Eleanor Oliphant is Completely FineB.In the Days of RainC.Inside the WaveD.The ExplorerBAt Aizo Chuo Hospital in Japan, employees greet newcomers, guide patients to and from the surgery area, and print out maps of the hospital for confused visitors. They don’t take lunch breaks or even get paid. Why? They’re robots!Robots have long worked in factories, helping to build cars and electronic appliances. But today’s robots don’t just do the jobs of people－they actually look and act a lot like people.Kansei, arobot from Japan, has a plastic face covering 19 movable parts. The robot can make 36 facial expressions in response to different words. Kansei shakes in fear at the word “war” and smiles when it hears the word “dinner”.Researchers in Europe are going even further with iCub, a “baby” robot. They are teaching it to speak and hold conversations.The ability to interact is crucial for robots that will one day work closely with humans says robotics professor ChrisAtkeson. “ This will require robots to understand what you say and how you are feeling and respond with appropriate emotions, ” he told WR News.Japanese scientist Minoru Asada agrees. He is building a robot called CB2 that acts like a real baby. “ Right now, it only goes, ̒Ah, ah. ̓But as we develop its learning function, it will start saying more complex sentencesand moving on its own, ” Asada says. “ Next-generation robots need to be able to learn and develop by themselves.”Intelligent robot will become more important in the future, as populations age and the number of human workers declines in many countries. “ We’re going to have many more old people and not enough young people to care for them,” says robot researcher Matthew Mason. “ Technology can help the old people live at home longer, instead of going to nursing homes.”4. According to the passage, what jobs have robots already performed?A. Giving advice, answering customer questions and planning events.B. Producing factory goods, building cars and greeting customers.C. Greeting customers, producing factory goods and performing surgery.D. Building cars, driving passengers and providing directions.5. The second paragraph in this passage is mainly about?A. To explain how a robot works.B. To define what a robot is.C. To describe the functions of modern robots.D. To predict the future uses of robots.6. How does the Kansei robot react on the word “fire”?A. Use languages to warn nearby humans.B Back up its memory files.C. Activate an automatic fire alarm.D. Produce a worried look on his face.7. In Asada’s opinion, the next step for robots will be to develop_______.A. the ability to learn independentlyB. the ability to understand human commandsC. the capacity to interact with humansD. the willingness to work togetherCWhen rescuers were called to rescue a “little owl”, they did not expect to find one that was too fat to fly. A concerned citizen first spotted the poor bird lying helplessly. Even Rufus Samkin, whose team then took the team in on Jan.3, believed the bird to be injured. There were no wounds to be found, however, causing experts tobelieve the female owl was simply too wet to fly.But it was only after a thorough drying-off and complete checkup that they noted the real issue. The rescuers weighed the owl and concluded that she was “simply extremely obese” and couldn’t take off. This additional weight left her unable to fly, though experts began to wonder how she got so fat in the first place. Because it’s rather unusual for wild birds to reach such a state, they decided to keep her a few weeks and monitor her.In the end, the rescuers assessed that it was simply a case of “natural obesity”. December 2019 was quite warm, which meant that there were many insects for the bird to feast upon. Indeed, the owl was discovered in a field that was “filled with field mice” due to the usual climate. “It’s been very mild here, and the owl is able to find foods easily,” Samkin explained. With the sudden food, “she ly ate much and got very fat. She had a lovely time, but went too far.”The researchers consequently put the owl on a “strict diet” so she could shrink to a more “natural weight”. She was even put on a bit of exercise and encouraged to fly around. In the end, the bird was sent flying gracefully off into the British countryside at a much healthier and happier weight. Hopefully, this owl won’t come upon another feast of field mice—unless she wants another few weeks at the fat camp.8. What did people think happened to the owl at first?A. She was hurt.B. She was trapped.C. She was hungry.D. She was wet.9. Why was the bird unable to fly?A. She needed a thorough checkup.B. She should be given a drying-off.C. She was completed overweight.D. She was simply extremely strong.10. What made the owl have enough foods?A. The especially warm weather.B. The reducing number of insects.C. The rich fields growing crops.D. The lovely time the bird enjoyed.11. How did the owl loseits weight?A. Going on a diet and exercising.B. Flying in the British countryside.C. Visiting that fat camp again.D. Enjoying her wonderful feast freely.DStarting at university or college can be a big challenge, especially if you’re living away from home for the first time. You arefaced with big questions such as, “Who’s going to do my washing?” “Who’s going to tidy my room?” And, most importantly, “How am I going to eat?” Yes, living on your own means cooking for yourself, and whenyou’re living a student lifestyle, this could be a recipe for disaster.Students, in the UK at least, often rely on generally available food such as baked beans or cheese on toast. And for the more adventurous, there’s “spag bol” — spaghetti bolognaise(肉酱意粉), that is, cooked spaghetti served with a ground beef and tomato sauce — a budget-friendly solution. If you make a huge pan of it, it can probably last you a whole week! Other low-cost options include jar sauces and oven pizzas.Recently, a British supermarket suggested that rose harissa paste, organic cider vinegar and Swiss bouillon powder were the important food materials needed for the “student cupboard”. But are these items considered essential and affordable for someone on a budget?As a matter of fact, living on a budget is certainly one barrier to eating a well-balanced diet. What’s more, some young people don’t know much about cooking, and for many young students, there are more fun things to go and do than just stay inside and cook. That’s where takeaways and microwave meals come in.What should a health-conscious student really have in his or her food cupboard? Jack Monroe, a food writer and campaigner, has words to say: baked beans, lemon juice, canned tomatoes and tomato ketchup, described as “salt, sugar, vinegar and tomato all in one handy squeezy bottle”. And should that not appeal, you can always wait till your next visit to your mum and dad for a square meal!12. What does the author indicate by “this could be a recipe for disaster”?A. Cooking is difficult for a student.B. Students must cook if they live alone.C. It is important to live independently.D. Learning to cook will cause disasters.13. What is the feature of “spag bol”?A. It is delicious.B. It is healthy.C. It saves money.D. It needs little skill.14. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?A. How well-balanced diets can be realized.B. How students can eat healthily with limited money.C. Why living on a budget is common among students.D Why students choose takeaways and microwave meals.15. Why does the author write the last paragraph?A. To advocate visiting parents.B. To offer some tips.C. To promote health consciousness.D. To introduce a writer.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。